Promises
by cheergirlejami
Summary: Promises is the second book in The Gift series. EJ and Sami are co-parenting their daughter Madison as she continues to struggle with her illness. Will they overcome all the obstacles in their way to become a real family?
1. Chapter 1

Promises

_**Promises**_

_Author's note: Book II in The Gift series, story picks up right where Book I ended. Hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think. I so enjoy reading everyone's comments._

_**Promises**_

_**Part I**_

Sami held her composure until she safely entered the guest bedroom, making sure to lock the door behind her. She hastily grabbed some undergarments to put on and afterwards sought out to find a sweatshirt and sweatpants to put on. She needed something comforting to wear as the tears started to flow freely from her; the words EJ had said to her crushing her soul more than she had thought possible.

The man had the power to wreck her life once again with a few simple words. She wanted to scream, to break something, anything to release the anger that was growing inside her. She had been a complete and utter fool to believe that EJ could care for her, his words of love from the night before mistruths, she should have known better than to have followed her heart.

In seeking him out last night, she had dared to drop her guard against him. He hadn't changed, the words he had told her in the church the morning after Madison had been so sick in the hospital circled around her in a vicious circle, swooping in as she felt the despair creeping in upon her.

"_So I see you do remember," EJ cut her a glare that hurt more than Sami wished he had the power to do so at the moment. _

"_EJ, we're different people now," Sami started to explain, only to have EJ roll his eyes at her._

"_Oh really? You see, I think we are both still the same self centered selfish creatures we were then, only now we try to play nice with one another for Madison's sake so she won't see how truly awful we both really are." EJ held up the strands of Madison's hair he still had in his possession to examine them in the sunlight that was streaming through the stain glass windows of the church._

"_EJ, please don't do this," Sami shook her head as she started towards him._

"_You know I'm still the same man underneath it all and the only thing that has kept that man at bay is having Madison. I didn't want her to grow up in fear of me. She brought love into my heart when no one else even bothered to care. She is the only good and pure thing I have in my life and if I lose her there won't be any reason not to become that man again." EJ dropped her hair watching it fall to the floor as he dropped to his knees._

_Sami rushed to him, "You have me EJ, you have me. Please you can't give up."_

_EJ shook his head sadly, "No, you were never mine. I wanted to love you, to give you the world, but you didn't want it. You threw my love away and left me all by myself. But I have to give you some credit; you didn't keep me away from Madison after you found out that she was mine."_

"_I couldn't keep her away from her daddy." Sami took his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. "EJ, it's okay, I know you're worried. I've been out of my mind with worry over Madison, but remember your promise to me. We'd go through this together and no matter what happens, I'm in this with you. Please don't push me away. I can help you."_

"_No one can help me," EJ wrenched himself from her touch, but he couldn't get away from her grasp upon him. Sami pulled herself next to him, wrapping her arms around him even as they both started to cry._

She had thought she had gotten through to EJ that day in the church that she had broken down some of the walls they had erected against one another, then as the tears started to flow; making her chest heave heavily while her anxiety continued to grow. Her sobs overtook her as she sadly realized she couldn't help EJ and he didn't even want her to try.

Apparently all EJ wanted from her was to be a surrogate, a means to an end to provide the much needed stem cells for Madison to have a bone marrow transplant. Sami would do anything to ensure Madison's survival, but she hadn't thought she would lose her soul in the process to do so.

She wrapped her arms around herself, wishing there was another way to help Madison now because it was going to be so hard to keep her heart from breaking every time she was near EJ. He had really fooled her big time and the knowledge of her loving him was distressing when he didn't want or need her love at all.

How in the world would she be able to pull off what EJ was asking of her? How would she be able to make love, no correcting herself, have sex with him until she was pregnant without losing more of her heart to him with each encounter?

The pain was so raw that it cut like a knife, but she welcomed the pain because she would need it to draw upon to help her through this charade they had both agreed upon to help Madison. And regardless of what EJ thought, Sami was also prepared to do anything and everything for their child, even if it meant selling her soul to the devil.

EJ would not be able to believe how far she would go to convince the world that she was in love with him because as he himself had said to her all he needed was for her to give the performance of a lifetime and she vowed to herself if EJ wanted a performance, than by god, a performance he would get, more than he had ever bargained for.

**Promises  
Part II**

EJ watched her leave the room, her head held high, no tears shed from her over what he had proposed. He touched his cheek where she had given him the unexpected kiss and thought the proposal he had offered to Samantha was definitely not the one he had dreamed of giving her. It was a far cry from what he had wanted to say, although he knew they were too unpredictable together to hope for anything else.

If she only loved him, things would be different. Then he sighed, love was an option he couldn't give to her. It had taken all of his strength he had inside of him to threaten that he would make her regret not agreeing to his proposal for the rest of her days if she didn't give Madison a reason to live by marrying him. Their marriage would grant to their daughter the one thing she most desired, a loving family that included both her mother and father living together with her under one roof.

He had to keep his mind on his intended goal of doing whatever it took to ensure that Madison did not give up on fighting this disease that had struck her at such a young age. He tried to console himself that he had only done what had needed to be done to keep his daughter from relinquishing her will to live.

If only he hadn't heard his daughter begging her mother to be there for him if she died. He cringed inwardly recalling their conversation that he had eavesdropped upon.

_"Mommy, I worried if I don't get better that daddy will be all alone and I can't let that happen. Please Mommy, please promise me that you won't let my daddy be alone," Madison's tears started anew._

"Honey, don't say things like that, you are going to get better," Sami pulled Madison into her arms, trying to calm her down. "These treatments you are taking are helping you to overcome the leukemia."

"Mommy, I know how sick I am, I don't feel good anymore. That is why I need to know that daddy will be okay if I'm not around to take care of him."  
  
No, he couldn't lose Madison; she was the only person in his entire life that had truly loved him. There was no sacrifice too big for him to make if it would ensure that Madison would have something to live for, even if the sacrifice he had to make was for him to give up his love for Samantha, to have her hate him from now on.

He'd saw her eyes harden towards him and the words she had spoken in anger brought back the haunting memories of when they were at odds with one another, when she had fought him at each and every turn. He could remember clearly all the times she denied ever feeling anything for him beyond contempt and disgust.

He turned and stared at the mirror, trying to wipe away the dense condensation that had formed on it while he had been in the shower with Samantha. He did a pitiful job of it, causing only jagged streaks of his image to appear on the glass bringing forth an apparition of him that he did not want to see.

He'd told Samantha before it wouldn't take much for him to become the man he used to be and that statement hit him with such a blinding force when he saw the man that stared back at him in the mirror. He had never wanted to hurt Samantha again and sadly he knew that man who had damaged her so badly years ago was just lurking in the shadows, waiting for his chance to reappear.

"No, never again," he spoke aloud to the mirror as he slammed his hand directly into it, wanting to erase the images of the man who looked back at him and in the process caused the fixture to shatter into tiny pieces. Ignoring the pain that instantly shot through him as the glass tore into his fist.

_He could not allow himself to become that man again, he just couldn't._

_**Promises  
Part III**_

"Daddy, are you okay?" Madison's voice broke EJ out of his reverie when she rushed into his room, the loud noise awakening her.

EJ winced while securing his bath towel more securely around his waist. He came out of his bathroom after managing to wrap a hand towel around his hand. He hoped the makeshift bandage would hide his wound from Madison, even though spots of blood began to appear through the material.

"I'm all right sweetheart," EJ assured Madison although he didn't feel as confident as he tried to sound to her.

"Oh no Daddy, your hand is bleeding. I'm going to get Mom," Madison left before EJ could protest her idea, not wanting to create another scene with Samantha, especially before their daughter.

Madison ran as fast as her small legs could take her, rapping on her mother's bedroom door insistently, "Mommy are you in there? Daddy needs your help!"

Hearing her daughter's scared voice caused Sami to stir, immediately wiping the tears from her eyes. She didn't want Madison or EJ to know that she had been crying.

"I'll be right out honey," Sami said hastily stepping to the bathroom to splash some cold water on her face. She opened the door to be greeted by a very worried Madison, who instantly took her hand and drug her mother down the hallway to her father's bedroom.

She didn't want to go into his room, not after all that had happened to them over the past twenty-four hours. She needed more time away from EJ, time to strategize her new game plan on guarding her heart where he was concerned.

Her thoughts on what exactly she would formulate concerning EJ quickly evaporated when she saw him, his normally dark complexion unusually pale as he struggled to find some clothes to wear. Sami turned to Madison giving no clue of her distress being near EJ and simply instructed her to go find the cordless phone. Madison left the room without complaint, her fear over something being wrong with her father overriding her usual attempt to argue wanting to stay with him.

Sami made sure Madison was out of earshot before she glared at EJ and tersely ordered, "Let me see your hand!"

"No, I am fine," EJ shook his head, not wanting her near him either; things were still too raw between them. He didn't want her help; he could manage quite fine on his own without her like he always did.

"Quit trying to act like you're not hurt and let me see your hand damn it!" She unwound the hand towel from his hand and gasped when she saw that pieces of glass were embedded into it.

"It's nothing," EJ tried to shrug her off, but when she began to cradle his injured hand within her own, he stilled. Her touch was soft compared to the harshness of the tone of her voice she used on him when Madison was not in the room with them.

Sami looked at him suddenly, forgetting to worry about whether or not she looked as if she had been crying and asked, "What did you do EJ?"

He didn't answer her, how could he explain his actions to her when he couldn't understand them fully himself? He tried to reach out to her with his good hand, then stopped when she realized what he was doing and abruptly let go of his hand from her grasp.

"Mommy, I found the phone," Madison proudly handed the phone to her mother.

"Thank you Maddie," Sami took the phone from her and started to dial Belle's cell phone number.

"Who are you calling?" EJ asked, irritation in his voice, not wanting anyone else to witness his foolish blunder, he'd take care of this problem himself, and he didn't need Sami coddling him.

"I'm calling Belle or would you rather me call your sister Lexie? Someone who knows what they are doing needs to look at your hand, it may need stitches."

"Don't bother Lexie," he answered as Sami rolled her eyes and began to dial Belle's cell phone again after he had stopped her from calling a few seconds earlier.

"Belle, I need your help," Sami began, turning away from them both. "No, Madison is fine, but EJ hurt his hand and I thought if you could maybe you could come over and check it out to see if he needs to go to the hospital."

Sami continued talking to Belle for a few minutes, relaying information quietly to Belle so as not to alarm Madison.

When she hung up the phone, she asked Madison to take it back to place upon the charger and for her to go play with her dolls for a while until after Belle checked her daddy out and then she would come get her. Madison agreed, taking the phone from Sami and heading out after giving her daddy a hug and a kiss.

Sami smiled encouragingly to Madison and then her smile faded after she left the room. She turned back to EJ shaking her head and then went to his bureau to retrieve him a pair of boxer shorts.

"What are you doing?"

"Helping you get dressed before my sister arrives to check out your hand unless you'd rather parade around her naked under your towel instead," Sami walked over to his closet, jerking a shirt from a hanger along with a pair of jeans, both of which she threw in his general direction.

"Thanks," he said, barely missing having the blue jeans hit him square in the face. Shaking his head, he dropped his towel and began to attempt to pull on the boxer shorts as best as he could with his one good hand while he held his injured one close to his side.

"Just stop before you hurt yourself further," Sami huffed in an aggravated manner as she went over to him, helping him pull up his boxers, yanking the material up roughly over his form.

"Easy there," EJ cautioned as the waistband of his boxers snapped sharply against him.

"Quit being such a baby," Sami handed him his blue jeans and then pulled them back away from his grasp.

"What? You don't want me to put on my pants now? Make up your mind woman!"

"Shut up! Your ego is big enough without you trying to entice my sister."

"So you're saying that if I walk around here half dressed then your sister would be interested?"

Sami didn't say a word and pushed him on the bed, holding open the blue jeans for him to put his feet into. He slid his feet into the jeans, and then Sami steadied him keeping him from falling after he got back up again.

"Belle already has two men making fools of themselves all over town, vying for her attention; she doesn't need a third man added into the mix." Sami pulled at the waistband of his jeans getting ready to button them for him when he stopped her.

"Samantha, I was just kidding, you know I would never be interested in either of your sisters."

She didn't say a word, her hands struggling to button and zip his jeans without faltering.

With his good hand, EJ touched her chin, causing Sami to raise her eyes to meet his own, "I meant what I said, I don't think of either of your sisters in that way."

Sami twisted away from the touch of his fingertips, picking up the shirt and throwing it at him, "Oh please spare me. You wouldn't be the first man I've been involved with that didn't lust after my sisters or prefer their company over mine. You know what? Maybe I can arrange for both of them to come over and pay you a visit. Or I bet you're so damn full of yourself that you want to try to take on all three of us at once."

"Samantha, you're being ridiculous. I don't want that…"

"Yeah, whatever, I really don't care who you want to be with anyway," she said turning swiftly to exit the room failing to hear his final words to her as she promptly slammed the door behind her.

"Because all I want is you."

He wanted to follow her, to tell her that he'd been wrong trying to make her feel as if she didn't have a choice marrying him, that he had made a terrible mistake earlier. That the real reason he wanted to marry her was because he loved her, only her. He hurried to shrug on his shirt, going to tell her exactly that and beg for her forgiveness when he heard Belle and Sami outside his door. He sighed taking a deep breath, realizing the moment was lost as both sisters came back into his room, Belle giving him a look of concern and Sami of course feigning concern, narrowing her eyes at him when Belle couldn't see her.

He really had messed up things between them, one look at Sami was proof of that and now he wondered how he would ever get her to believe a word he said again.

_**Promises**_

_**Part IV**_

"EJ, what have you done?" Belle asked examining his lacerated hand, her face forming a frown as she tried to gauge the extent of his injuries.

"It's nothing Belle," EJ assured her while Sami give a disbelieving grunt in the background, causing him to glance over his shoulder at her.

"Is he going to need stitches?" Sami asked circumventing EJ and walking behind Belle, looking over her sister's shoulder while they both peered at the scrapes that were still bleeding although not as badly as when Sami first saw the cuts.

"I'm not going to the hospital," EJ declared to them both, wanting to retract his hand from their gazes.

"EJ is being a big baby," Sami stated before she could catch herself, she had to be more careful or Belle would guess how angry she was at EJ at the moment.

"I am not!" He argued back, not wanting Sami to get in the last word with him.

"Well if you refuse to go to the hospital, I'll just have to do the best that I can for you here," Belle looked around the room. "Sami I'm going to need a few things, some hydrogen peroxide, tweezers, bandages, wrapping tape."

"Hydrogen peroxide, now seriously Belle, surely you don't need that," EJ gave her a doubting look.

"We need to go into the bathroom to hold your hand over the sink," Belle suggested, but EJ shook his head.

"The supplies are in the guest bathroom," EJ piped in, not wanting Belle or Sami to see the condition of his bathroom after he broke the mirror earlier.

"Okay, then let's go in there," Belle let his hand down and allowed EJ to lead the way to Sami's bedroom and adjoining bathroom.

Sami started opening up drawers until she finally found all the supplies that Belle said she would need. She laid them out upon the counter, trying not to look at EJ, but it was difficult to keep her eyes averted away from him.

Belle opened up the hydrogen peroxide and instructed EJ to lean his hand over the sink, she liberally poured on the liquid to the wounds, causing EJ to curse under his breath as the compound started to bubble and fizzle when it touched his skin.

"Told you he was a baby," Sami smirked, causing EJ to cast her glare in her direction.

"It stings like hell!" EJ countered back, gritting his teeth.

Sami just rolled her eyes while Belle poured some of the liquid on the tweezers.

"You are not using those tweezers on me!"

"How do you expect me to get out the glass from your hand since you are too stubborn to go to the hospital?" Belle asked patiently, not wanting to laugh even though she was hard pressed not to with Sami by her side.

"Can I at least get a drink or something?"

"I'll go fix you one," Sami offered wanting to leave the room, seeing EJ hurt wasn't fun at all, in fact it downright bothered her that she was starting to feel sorry for him. Checking on Madison and seeing that she was still playing with her dolls waiting for her mother to let her know when she could see her daddy again, Sami then went to the wet bar, taking the glass decanter with her along with a crystal glass.

She made her way back into the bathroom, pouring EJ a drink of bourbon which he gratefully accepting, tossing it back with ease and holding out the glass for another one. Sami poured him another and he drank again, and then nodded to Belle to do what she needed to do. He winced slightly as she diligently picked out the tiny shards of glass from his hand and then signaled for Sami to use the hydrogen peroxide once again after she had sufficiently gotten every particle that she could find.

EJ hissed as the liquid once again stung his hand, but didn't utter a word in argument. Belle wrapped his hand securely, tying off the bandage.

"Thank you Belle," EJ managed to say, although he didn't feel like offering up anything else at the moment, the cuts stung and he knew his hand would hurt like hell tomorrow.

"Do you have some ibuprofen?" Belle asked, finishing up the job as best as she could without all the supplies she had readily available to her at the hospital.

"Yes," EJ nodded.

"EJ, I'll get you some, just go lay down for a while and I'll be in there with you in a minute," Sami offered before she turned her attention back to Belle. "Thank you Belle. It was just a crazy accident and we've had our fill of the hospital until we have to back for the chemo treatments. I don't think Madison could handle having her daddy going there tonight."

"It's totally understandable," Belle gave them both a smile. "I'm glad I was able to help. Now EJ, go rest at least for a little while."

"I'll do anything not to have that putrid liquid poured upon me again," EJ tried to joke and then left to go to his room wondering how Sami would react around him once Belle went home.

"Bye EJ," Belle said and after EJ exited the room turned back to Sami. "Oh I brought over the present for EJ that you had me working on so it is a good thing he won't spoil his surprise since he went to his bedroom. I'll be right back with it"

Belle returned a few minutes later with a smile of pride upon her face when Sami opened the box and viewed inside. Sami hadn't expected Belle to finish up the project before Christmas and her expression showed it when she examined the contents of the present.

"Belle, I can't believe you were able to do all of this in such a short amount of time," Sami looked over the present in awe; it had even turned out better than she had even imagined.

"Well I had some help from Philip," Belle beamed, overjoyed to see a genuine smile on her sister's face. She hadn't seen too many of them from her over the past month and this was a welcome change. "He was interested in seeing if you wanted to market this, he assured me this would really sell."

"I don't know Belle, I'll have to think about it," Sami answered honestly, amazed that the present seemed to have taken on a life all by itself.

"No pressure, just wanted to let you know that Philip was really interested in talking with you when you have the time, maybe after Christmas?"

"Okay, I'll try," Sami hugged her sister tightly. "I love you Belle. You are a wonderful sister and I'm so lucky to have you in my life. How much do I owe you for all of this?"

"Hey, I didn't come over here to charge you a bill. This," she pointed to the box," was my gift to you. Checking on EJ's cut is to help you not have to go to the hospital, but Sami if it looks like it is getting infected then you have to make him go. Promise?"

"I promise," Sami let Belle go from her embrace, trying not to cry, she didn't want Belle to know that things were no where near where they needed to be between she and EJ. She would have to shoulder that burden herself. EJ was right Madison did deserve to have some happy times even if things weren't real between her and EJ.

"I've got to run, Philip is taking me out to dinner," Belle reached in to hug Sami once more and was out the door.

"Bye," Sami called out as Belle left, then shut the door, placing the box in the foyer before heading to the medicine cabinet to get EJ some ibuprofen along with a glass of water.

She found him in his room lying on his bed and her heart went out to him, one arm covering his eyes as he lay there. Trying to sound gruffer to him then she felt, she nudged him slightly causing him to stir, "Sit up EJ, you need to take the ibuprofen."

"I want another drink," came the muffled reply from EJ as he refused to sit up.

"Take this and I'll think about bringing you another one, but one more is all," Sami said helping him sit up, his nearness making her acutely aware of him and it was all she could do not to cry, but she wouldn't let him know that she was heartbroken over his decision about them.

EJ looked at her, she smelled so good, she was so close, he could kiss her, but he knew she didn't want his kisses after he had acted like such an ass to her earlier. He took the proffered ibuprofen instead as she held the glass for him to drink out of, her touch much more comforting than he thought possible considering how she had raged at him.

He was about to thank her when she took the glass and laid it on the bedside table, maybe he could just reach out with his good hand and stroke her face, but she abruptly moved away from him after he had taken the medicine.

"Get your rest prince charming, in case you've forgotten we've got a schedule for the baby making and as soon as I'm knocked up, you and your hand will probably be getting pretty friendly because believe me I will not have a thing to do with you after we seal our deal!"

She gave him a scathing look and exited the room. EJ leaned back on the bed, realizing he had a lot more ground to cover trying to make things up to Samantha then he previously thought. Samantha was without a doubt purely and utterly pissed off with him and he had no one to blame but himself.

_**Promises**_

_**Part V**_

Sami told a relieved Madison that her daddy was going to be fine and it warmed her heart to see her baby girl smile over the news. Without a doubt Madison loved her father with a fierceness that Sami had seldom witnessed in her lifetime. If only she were allowed the same luxury as Madison was in the capacity of loving EJ how different would her life be?

Well she would never know because EJ had main it plain in no uncertain terms that he didn't want or need her love for him. She watched Madison scamper off to EJ's room without a second's moment of hesitation and Sami didn't have the strength left to tell Madison that EJ needed to rest after his incident.

She left them alone for a while and then couldn't stand it any longer when she heard Madison laugh. She told herself she was only venturing back to EJ's room to check on Madison nothing more.

The sight that greeted her was enough to make her want to weep. Madison had her father propped up to a sitting position with pillows behind him and also one for him to lay his injured hand upon while she made a grandiose gesture of acting like she was reading the newspaper to him, relaying to him all the news from the latest edition of the Salem Spectator and while it would have been more convincing if her daughter had the newspaper turned up the right way while she made up stories of what was happening in their town she kept on talking non-stop pausing occasionally to have her father remark over what she had just read to him.

Sami stayed just outside the door, she wanted to join them, but maybe it would be better if she left them alone, she was without a doubt the outsider among them. Why Madison and EJ would be content without her here, although she just couldn't make herself leave his home.

EJ had thrown down the gauntlet earlier in the afternoon that she would do whatever it took to make Madison happy and she was not going to let their daughter down. So she pasted a smile on her face and walked into the room, determined not to let Madison know any difference. If EJ wanted her to pretend that she loved him in front of Madison, then so be it. She had pulled off tougher acts than this in her lifetime or at least she hoped this challenge would not break her already weakened spirit.

"Oh Mommy, come in, I was reading the newspaper to Daddy," Madison stated as she looked at the newspaper and suddenly righted it back to show her mother a picture.

"What a sweet girl you are to read to your daddy," Sami said and Madison beamed under her mother's praise.

EJ gave Sami a weak smile and was put off guard when she looked at him as if nothing was wrong between them and she climbed on the bed on the other side of Madison while their daughter continued to go through pages of the newspaper. Sami placed her arm behind Madison and hoped that she wouldn't inadvertently touch EJ in the process.

Madison rambled on for a while making both her parents laugh with the outrageous stories she made up until her stomach started rumbling.

"Maddie, I'm going to make us some sandwiches. Will you come help me since I don't know where your daddy keeps everything in his kitchen?"

"I can help Samantha," EJ claimed as he began to move from his position on the bed, but both Sami and Madison looked at him like he was daft.

"No, you stay and rest, I'll feed Maddie and give her a bath and then I'll bring you something later," Sami sweetly informed him and if he didn't know better he'd think she meant every word she said, that was until Madison was safely out of the room and she gave him the most menacing look she could shoot him without having their daughter see her.

Madison was a great help to Sami informing her exactly where her daddy kept all the things in the kitchen and she even ate part of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich along with a glass of milk after they had worked together to make the sandwiches. Madison claimed PB&J's were her daddy's favorite and she took extra care to make his just right.

Then she allowed Sami to help bathe her even though she claimed that she was a big enough girl to do it all by herself that she was a bit tired. So Sami helped Maddie in the tub allowing her the splash water at her mother and laughing. It was good to laugh; she needed to do so because the last month had been nothing short of hell for her to endure as a mother.

Finally after she had let Madison play in the tub until she was about to fall asleep, Sami took her out of the tub, dried her off carefully and put some warm pajamas on. Madison was almost asleep when Sami started to sing her one of the lullabies she used to sing to her when she was younger, her voice lilting in a melodious tune as she sang the words to her daughter until she couldn't hold her eyes open any longer, making Sami promise to tell her daddy goodnight and for her to give him a goodnight kiss from her since she was too sleepy to tell him herself.

Sami stayed by her bedside for quite some time, praying silently that God would heal her baby girl, she would ask Him for no more than that, her heart still breaking over her disappointment from EJ earlier. Finally she finished her prayers and leaned over to kiss Madison goodnight.

She would have to pass his room on the way to hers and she almost didn't stop to check on him, but she had promised Madison that she would tell EJ goodnight, as for the goodnight kiss, well that was going above and beyond what she thought she would be able to do.

He was asleep on the bed, still dressed in his jeans and the halfway buttoned up shirt she had thrown at him in haste before Belle had come over to check on the condition of his hand. She wished she could crawl up in bed with him, that somehow everything could be erased from their awful confrontation this past afternoon, but she knew it wasn't possible as the words he told her kept replaying over and over into her mind.

"EJ," she shook him gently as he tried to rouse himself up from hearing the sound of her voice.

"Sorry I fell asleep," his voice mumbled as he tried to open up his eyes, but she shushed him.

"It's okay, I just came in to tell you goodnight for Madison," Sami said trying not to get to close to his bed even though the temptation was strong.

He opened his eyes blearily to ask, "No goodnight from you?"

"I didn't figure you warranted a goodnight wish from me," Sami tried to keep her voice neutral; EJ didn't need to know the depths of how cruel his words had been to her.

EJ could see her struggle, but he wanted her near him, "No goodnight kisses either?"

"Do you think you deserve one?" She placed her hands on her hips, ready to do battle with him, he really had some nerve.

"My hand is hurt," EJ lifted his bandaged hand and played the sympathy card on her even though he knew it was wrong, there had to be some way he could get her closer to him. She eyed him warily, and was about to say something when he added, "Plus you said I needed to rest up for our schedule."

She leaned down to his side close enough to whisper in his ear, "I don't think you can handle me tonight, with your hurt hand and all."

"Why don't you just see if I can?"

"Oh please, you don't honestly believe that you can…"

Then the rest of her words were cut off when EJ pulled her on the bed with him with his uninjured hand and he said, "You were saying?"

The urge to slap him was strong, but not as huge as the urge to teach him a lesson, so Sami just laughed and said, "One goodnight kiss coming up," and she pulled him into a kiss.

_**Promises**_

_**Part VI**_

His lips found hers and the instant they touched; it ignited the ever consuming passion between them both. One goodnight kiss turned into many more. EJ rained kiss upon kiss to her mouth, her cheeks, then seeking downward he ventured to her neck, causing her to moan in appreciation for his efforts.

She had wanted to teach him a lesson, to get him all stirred up and then leave him high and dry, wanting her, but Sami could not make herself pull away from him. Being with EJ was addictive, when he touched her; she greedily wanted more of him, not less.

She needed to push away from him, to let him know what an arrogant bastard he truly was, especially after their confrontation this afternoon. Yes, she was going to do just that, in a few moments.

"You know I did need some help removing my clothes," EJ whispered wickedly in her ear and suddenly a flash of white hot anger struck deep within Sami enough to push him back from her.

"You are such a jerk!" Sami cried out, wishing her words could hurt him as badly as his words hurt her. She had been such a fool to believe that he had actually cared for her. She didn't want him to see her cry, she'd promised herself that he wouldn't ever see her tears of heartbreak over him fall, so she struggled to get away from him. Trying her best to flail him with her hands, anything to make him realize how wrong he was about trying to force her to marry him just so that Madison would be happy if indeed she was facing her last days on this earth.

"Samantha, I'm…"

"An ass, yes I know that all too well," she managed to spit out while trying to scoot away from him, although she couldn't get her bearings grounded enough to make a quick getaway from his bed. She turned her head and wanted to scream when she felt his hand upon her arm stopping her from making an exit from his bedroom. "Don't EJ. I can't do this because, because…"

"I'm sorry," the words came out softly, his voice full of contrition. "I don't know what came over me earlier, I just wanted to block out the pain, to be in charge of something, anything because quite honestly I don't feel I have control over a damn thing anymore. This thing with Madison has made me crazy. I didn't mean to threaten you, god help me Samantha that was the last thing I ever wanted to do to you again, to make you feel helpless…"

"Well you did," she sat up on the bed, clutching her knees tightly against her chest, unshed tears stinging her eyes, "but know one thing EJ, I won't let you have the power to hurt me ever again. I will harden my heart against you so well that you'll never be able to be close to me again. I won't let you kill my spirit, I may love you so much that it cuts like a knife searing deep into my soul, but somehow I'll find a way to get over you."

She loved him, she admitted as much all the while proclaiming that he wouldn't be able to hurt her anymore. The words he had wanted to hear her to say to him for such a very long time were finally out; although now he'd he plainly saw how he had ruined his chance with her. He could see it in her eyes, ones filled with tears that were threatening to overflow from those beautiful blue eyes.

Words failed him, she couldn't love him, and she never had before, so why now could she have these feelings for him? The silence stretched out between for a few moments as EJ struggled to find the words in his heart, ones he hoped wouldn't turn her away from him again after they had come so far with one another.

He reached out a tentative hand to her, afraid she would instantly pull away from his touch, but miraculously she did not. He smiled at her with a terrible resignation etched upon his features, making the smile almost look like a grimace as she lifted her eyes to his. "Samantha, I had no idea that you loved me."

"Last night didn't give you some kind of indication of how I felt about you?" Sami asked in a mocking tone. "I wanted to tell you how I felt this morning, and then one thing happened after another and then when we finally had some time alone, you just…"

"Made a complete ass of myself, darling I'm so sorry, please forgive me," his eyes never left hers as he traced the side of her face with one finger.

"I don't know if I can EJ," Sami answered honestly. "The things you said, the way you said them to me, and it scared me to think that we were back at that stage, threatening one another, doing things to see which one of us could hurt the other the most. I just can't live my life like that anymore; we can't do that to Madison."

"I heard you promise her not to leave me if something happened to her." EJ confessed his voice hoarse and raw with emotion.

"Oh EJ, yes I did promise her that, but can't you see that I would be here with you anyway?"

"No, I was afraid that if I loved you, if I gave you my heart that you wouldn't want me that I'd be facing the same heartbreak that nearly killed me all those years ago when you chose Lucas over me. I'm afraid to lose Madison and in my fear I couldn't take losing you too."

"So you pushed me away, made me think this was all some sort of twisted sadistic DiMera game that you were playing with me to coerce me to do your bidding."

He hung his head down, this woman could see right through him. Now in his fear of guarding his heart from any further hurt, he had probably lost his only hope of ever finding true and lasting love with her, the only woman who had ever captured his heart.

"Yes," he admitted, hating that she had hit the nail upon the head so to speak, she cut right through the chase and had him pegged dead to rights over his actions. "Once again I'll ask you for forgive me. Can you find it in your heart to show me this love you have for me? I honestly don't know what my life would be like if I had you to love and cherish like I have dreamed of doing for so long."

She didn't answer, she was afraid to, she wanted so desperately to believe in him, to believe that this was real between them. She paused only for a moment, and then with a sob she unwrapped her arms from around her knees and pulled herself into his arms. He instantly wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head as she cried. In that moment, she finally felt what she had longed to find for years, and that was a sense of coming home of truly belonging and it surprised her to no end that it was in EJ's arms she had found it. She reached up to kiss him and prayed that maybe this time around they could do things right.

_**Promises**_

_**Part VII**_

"Don't cry sweetheart, please don't cry," EJ crooned softly as Sami clung to him, her tears wetting his opened shirt that he still had on. He softly rocked her in his arms while she continued to cry softly. "I didn't mean all those things I said earlier. I swear I didn't mean them. I do love you with all my heart."

She couldn't hold back her emotions any longer, the events of the past month culminated into her finally letting the floodgates go that she had tried so valiantly to keep up. She loved this man; more than she ever had thought possible and when she had thought he didn't care for her at all it had literally crushed her soul. Now she could see how empty and defeated EJ must have felt all those years before when she shut him out of her life, choosing to be with Lucas instead of him.

They still had so many things to overcome, but at least now he knew that she loved him and that they could build upon this newfound love. She had to trust in her feelings that they could work through anything as long as they had each other. Sami knew it wouldn't be easy, but she was willing to give it her all even if these emotions she felt for EJ literally scared her to death.

She finally calmed down enough to turn her tear streaked face to EJ, god she must look a mess, but that didn't matter when she saw the look of concern in his eyes for her. He did love her; she'd heard him loud and clear even if she hadn't been able to hold back her tears. It was a blessed relief to finally unburden her soul to EJ.

He clumsily wiped away her tears, as best as he could with his bandaged hand, as a strange sensation began to blossom from deep inside him. He wasn't used to having hope preside in his heart, so it was a bit intimidating to be experiencing it firsthand with Samantha at his side. She smiled at him through her tears and knowing that she was here with him, not turning him away and embracing him instead was like seeing a rainbow appear in the sky after a sudden shower, it made him feel full of amazement and wonder.

He'd been alone for so very long, with only Madison to claim to love him, that knowing that Samantha cared for him was humbling. He wanted to give her everything, he knew they still had so many issues to get past, but at least for once they were communicating honestly with one another instead of hiding behind their insecurities.

"I love you too EJ, so very much," Sami admitted freely, glad that she could finally tell him without the fear of rejection coming from him. She touched his face briefly before running her fingers through his dark hair, pulling him into a kiss, one that grew in intensity with each passing second that transpired.

He lowered her down on the bed, breaking their kiss and looking into her eyes, "Samantha, I have waited so long to hear you speak those words. There were so many nights I lay awake in my bed, wishing that you were here with me, wanting to touch and hold you in my arms. For you to be lying next to me when I awoke, but you never were here when the morning came, you don't know how I thought I'd lose my mind over wanting you, craving your touch."

"I'll be here from now on, if you still want me here with you," Sami said, her heart feeling as if it might burst over the intensity of his words that he spoke to her.

"You promise?" His question was laced with uncertainty; it would take time for him to truly believe that she cared for him.

"With all my heart," she whispered, taking the opportunity to lean up and kiss him again. This was exactly where she wanted to be, in his arms surrounded by his love.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 8**

He had heard her correctly, Samantha loved him and wanted to be there with him, nothing else mattered at the moment. He really didn't know what to think that finally after all these years of wanting her that she finally wanted him too. The newfound knowledge of her love was something that seemed quite unreal. It was difficult to believe that he would actually have the opportunity to have her in his life, for them to share their lives together.

He was getting ahead of himself, she was still married to Lucas, but hopefully he would be able to help her remedy that situation as quickly as possible. Thank goodness he had followed his father's suggestion about being able to practice law here in the states so that he would be able to help out Samantha with any legal questions she might have about obtaining a divorce from Lucas.

He certainly didn't want to think about Lucas tonight, especially after she told him she loved him. He was so afraid he would wake up and this would all be nothing more than a dream, a figment of his overactive imagination.

"What are you thinking?" Sami asked bringing him out of his musings.

"That I'll wake up and this won't be real, that we'll still be at odds with one another, that you'll take back saying that you loved me." The words spilled out in a torrent from EJ, he was past trying to hide his feelings from her for he knew all too well what happened between them when they tried to put up walls to protect themselves from the other.

"It's real and while I still can't believe I actually found the courage to tell you…"

"In a roundabout way," he added with a smirk.

"I said it again to you," she pouted playfully and moved closer to him to place a kiss upon his neck before reaching downward to begin to unbutton the few buttons that were still buttoned on his shirt.

"Will you say it again and again?" EJ asked after she had finished with her task and she removed his shirt from him.

"Everyday," she agreed, tossing the shirt in the floor in a haphazard fashion.

"You like throwing my clothes around," EJ remarked as she started to make a movement to unbutton his jeans.

"Oh sweetie, you are going to see that I do lots of crazy things, clothing of course is optional," she winked suggestively as she continued onward in effectively removing his clothes from him.

"So I'm your sweetie now," EJ chuckled as he recalled the many names Samantha had bestowed upon him over the years; endearments for him had not been at the top of her priority list.

"I'll try to think of some more names for you although you have me beat on that particular subject," Sami gently pushed him back against the pillows, causing EJ to raise a questioning eyebrow to her. "Right now I have other things to attend to."

"Such as?" EJ asked as Sami pulled the sweatshirt she had been wearing over her head and tossed it onto his bedroom floor.

She paused a moment, her fingers at the clasp in the front of her lacy bra she was wearing as if she had just remembered something important. "I knew I was forgetting something."

"What?" EJ asked, hoping she would continue, he couldn't wait to touch her, but he was holding himself back, enjoying watching her.

"I need to go get you your sandwich that Madison made you," Sami got up from the bed and almost stumbled backwards. "What was I thinking? I know you have to be starving."

"Samantha, the only thing I am starving for at the moment is you," EJ followed Sami to the door, pushing against it with his good hand to prevent her from leaving his bedroom. "We'll eat later."

Sami smiled as she leaned up against the door, he looked good standing there in front of her without a stitch of clothing on and he was all hers.

"Well if you insist," she flicked the clasp of her bra and let it fall to the floor.

EJ started to reach for the waistband of her sweatpants and she shook her head no which caused him to give her a perplexing look.

"I'm taking care of you tonight," Sami shrugged out of her sweatpants and lace panties with ease and went up on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a quick kiss and after releasing him directed him back towards the bed. When he was settled back on the bed against the headboard resting his head against the mound of pillows awaiting her next move, he held his breath, there was no telling what Samantha might do to him and he couldn't wait to find out exactly what she had in mind for him.

"I like the sound of that," EJ said as she straddled him, she didn't take him in though she was dying to have him inside her no that would come later. Right now she wanted to drive him to the brink of ecstasy in other ways.

She leaned forward arching her back, her breasts thrust forward, not close enough for him to touch her with his mouth. She moved downward giving him a wicked smile before she began to place kisses all down along his sculptured torso, pausing momentarily as she went lower with each new kiss she was giving to him.

"Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to do this," she slid her tongue over her bottom lip, almost touching him as she was imagining how he would taste in her mouth.

"Have no clue darling," EJ managed to get out before she touched him, running just her thumb over his already engorged member. He wasn't used to being at any woman's mercy, especially Samantha's, although with him being in this position with her at the helm thoroughly excited him. This version of Samantha was an extremely intoxicating one that he wanted to know more about as she removed her hand from him and placed one on either side of his hips.

She looked up at him with a look he had never seen her give him before and then lowered her head. She paused waiting a few seconds contemplating her next move and she opened mouth, her tongue swirling around the tip, not going further yet as she heard his breath hitch, his hands already clutching the sheets as he closed his eyes.

She smiled against him as she used her tongue to lick the first drops that appeared, then she drug it slowly on the ridged underside, taking her time as she explored and when she took him fully into her mouth, taking him all the way back to her throat.

EJ thought he would die from the indescribable pleasure that ensued. Her name became a sensual litany from him as he took his hands and wound them in her hair, the pain from his injured hand quickly forgotten, he couldn't concentrate on anything at all besides the incredible things she was doing to him with that wicked and sinful mouth.

Her golden hair all around her, hiding her eyes from him as she continued her steady pace, his control completely shattered while she played havoc on his senses. She took everything he had and more when he reached the breaking point, taking every drop from him without hesitation.

When she finally looked up at him, with her hair all wild and eyes that promised to give him even more, he felt like he had died and gone to heaven. She smiled as she saw him rise again so quickly and moved upward, positioning herself on him, ready to impale herself.

"EJ, when I get done with you tonight, I swear to you that you'll have a hard time remembering your own name, much less any other woman's name you have ever been with besides me," she said confidently, setting her own rhythm as she started to move up and down his shaft and somehow EJ had no doubt that she would be able to accomplish that feat because she was already well on the way to making good on her promise to him.

_Life was good, very good_ was all EJ could think until she moved another way upon him and true to her word he forgot everything except focusing on what she was doing to him. If she kept this up, he definitely would have to ask her what his name was by morning's light

**Chapter 9**

She awoke first, the previous night they had spent together one she was sure she would be unable to forget. It was so amazing to be able to let go, to be truly free to express her feelings for him. She loved him and he loved her, it was still a concept she had a difficult time wrapping her brain around.

She was sore, but the soreness was worth it she surmised as she gazed upon him sleeping. This beautiful man who lay before her, yes he was beautiful in so many ways, ways she was slowly seeing coming to light the more time she spent with him. She lazily traced a finger down his chest, watching him move ever so slightly in his sleep as she lightly touched him, the contours of his body totally fascinating to her.

He woke up to see her beside him, her finger tracing a lazy pattern upon him, one that made him want to indulge in many more things with her. Last night she had surprised and delighted him beyond his wildest imaginations of how it could be between them.

"So I see you're finally awake," she whispered softly while she continued to move lower and lower on his torso with her finger.

"I needed some rest after last night," EJ replied noting that a very important part of his anatomy was apparently more awake then the rest of him at the moment.

Sami smiled knowingly, watching him respond to her lightly touching him with only her fingertip.

"You do?" she questioned stopping the motion of her finger.

"Well you see, this insatiable vixen took control of my senses last night and now I somehow am having trouble remembering my own name," EJ gave her a look of confusion although he wanted to give into his mirth and begin laughing.

Having Samantha here with him like this was something he had given up hope on years ago and now being able to wake up with her here beside him was something he wanted to savor and enjoy for the rest of his days. Was is possible to love someone so much that it felt like your heart would burst just by being in the same room with them?

"Insatiable vixen you say?" Her eyes twinkled mischievously as she grinned. She liked this side of EJ, one she hadn't gotten to witness very often after their friendship had disintegrated years ago. She had to say that regaining his friendship was such a blessing, now that she saw sparks of it returning it only reminded her how badly she had missed being his friend.

"Yes, she was something," EJ answered bringing her out of her current musings.

"Should I be jealous?"

"Well…" was all that he managed to get out of his mouth before Sami leaned over to kiss him, laughing in between kisses.

He rolled her over, laughing with her, enjoying this new element of their ever changing relationship with one another. He was going to kiss her again, then paused saying, "I like having you here with me in the mornings."

"You do?" she asked, her laughter fading somewhat as he continued to look at her. When he looked that way she wanted to stay in his arms forever.

"I do," he said taking the opportunity to kiss her again softly before pulling back again to look at her once more. "So I was thinking that maybe you would want to move your things in here?"

"In here, meaning your bedroom?" She arched her brow at him quizzically, while she shifted beneath him trying to get the sheet untangled so that she could feel him directly.

"Yes, I don't want to spend another night away from you," he spoke softly, his words sounding so sweet in her ears. "We've been apart for far too long."

She reached up to caress his face, "We have, but EJ are you sure about this? I mean what are we going to tell Madison?"

"How about telling her the truth for a change? Tell her that her mum and dad are finally going to do things right, that we love each other and we love her and we are going to do our very best to be a family, a real family that loves and cares for one another. I want this so badly Samantha, to provide Madison with a real home life with the two of us together. Don't you want that too?"

"I do EJ, but I'm still married to Lucas," she hated bringing up the fact, but it was the truth and if they were going to be truthful with one another it meant facing everything, even the difficult obstacles that were in their relationship.

"I know, god I know that fact all too well," EJ said with a sad smile, "but after the divorce is final is there a way that you'll consider being mine?"

"I'm yours already," she answered truthfully.

"Really, you mean it?"

"Yes, just don't give up on me okay?"

"Never, you have my word on it." he said before giving her another kiss, somehow they would make it through all this one way or another and he just prayed it would be together for them instead of apart.

**Chapter 10**

"Your kisses are so sweet," EJ whispered as he continued to kiss her, coming up for air only when necessary. He could kiss her all day it seemed and never tire of it. He guessed he would have to try out that theory upon her sometime in the near future just to see if it would be true or not.

"Just my kisses?" Sami inquired as EJ's lips hovered over hers just a breath away.

He rolled over to his side, one elbow propping him up as he scrutinized her, "I plead the fifth."

Sami raised her eyebrow as he said this, prompting her to gently push him over so that now she was leaning over him, "Okay mister, what do you mean by that?"

"I just got back into your good graces last night, I don't want to tempt fate," EJ teased as Sami began to scowl at him.

"You didn't answer my question," Sami poked a finger into his chest, the same one she had used earlier when she was being playful with him while he slept.

"And I'm not going to do so," EJ laughed as she began to pout, pushing out her bottom lip.

"I can't give you any incentive to talk?" Sami asked as she started to kiss his neck, which caused him to groan.

"Maybe later," EJ said with regret in his voice, it was past time that he needed to get up, he had so much to do today if he wanted to get everything ready since Christmas was only two days away.

"Later I may not be in the mood," Sami huffed, trying to pretend as if she was offended by EJ's need to put off her incentive measures to get him to talk.

"Well then I'll just have to do my best to get you in the mood again," he gave her a quick kiss and pushed himself up from the bed, a wince coming over his features when he pressed on his injured hand.

"Are you all right?" the concern was evident in Sami's voice despite all her protestations of caring what happened to him or not the day before.

"I'm fine, my hand is going to be all right," EJ replied walking over to his bureau to find some boxers to put on while Sami admired the view from the bed. He was a sight to behold and he was all hers, the thought made her positively giddy and it had been years since she had experienced that emotion.

She leaned back against the pillows, pulling the sheet up around her, "I'll need to look at it after while among other things."

"Other things maybe, my hand no," EJ pulled on the boxers, turning to face her as he held up his hand. "I do not want any more of that stinging liquid anywhere near me. I think I'll throw it out of the house today."

"You'll do no such thing," Sami said with a laugh. "You are a big baby EJ."

"You really think that?" He crawled back on the bed, inching his way up to where she was still laughing at him as he maneuvered his way back to her, pulling the sheet away from her as he began to tickle her.

"Stop tickling me EJ," Sami said in between breaths she was laughing so hard.

"No, I've got you right where I want you, so you think I'm a big baby?"

"Right now you're big, but I can't call it a baby," she managed to wiggle away from him just briefly before he started another tickle assault on her.

"I am eh," he laughed with her catching her up in another kiss, their laughter spilling over them as they enjoyed one another's company.

"What is that I need to say? Oh yeah, I plead the fifth," Sami replied trying to get the sheet back from him, but he wouldn't let her have it. She looked at him, his eyes full of mischief and said, "No fair EJ, you have on something and I don't."

"Well I guess I'll have to remedy that," he began to pull at his boxers when they both heard Madison outside the bedroom door.

"Daddy, what are you doing? You are so loud that you woke me up," she began to bang on the door when she realized it was locked.

They both froze and looked at each other, "Busted." Sami started to giggle again when EJ got the deer in the headlights look as soon as he heard the sound of Madison's voice.

"Thank you for remembering to lock the door," EJ said hurriedly getting up and grabbing a t-shirt for Sami to put on before he opened the door. "Madison sweetheart, give me a second and I'll open the door."

The knocking stopped, "Hurry up Daddy. What are you doing in there?"

"Nothing at the moment," he winked at Sami as she hastily put on his t-shirt, thankful that it fell right above her knees in length. He opened the door to a very stormy faced young lady, who apparently did not appreciate being woken up this morning, her usual sunny disposition absent.

"Mommy, you are back in Daddy's room again!" Madison said eyeing them both skeptically.

"I am," Sami said as EJ picked Madison up in his arms.

"Your mum and I need to talk to you," EJ said gently placing Madison in the center of the bed, him sitting down beside her on one side while Sami went to the other.

"What about?" Madison was afraid to get her hopes up too much, especially after talking to her mother yesterday because she had seemed so uncertain about the future. She looked at them both, thinking the worst, "Am I going to have to go back to the hospital again?"

"No sweetheart," EJ pulled her into a hug, "You'll have to go back for treatments, but unless you absolutely have to go in for a stay, I promise that your mum and I will go with you."

"Good," she relaxed against EJ, her daddy always made things seem better, "because I hate having to stay in the hospital."

"We know you do Maddie," Sami took her hand and held it within her own. "I'd much rather be here with you and your daddy instead of staying there."

"So does this mean you are going to stay here with us? Can we live here instead of at our other house with Lucas?" She asked point blank, she wanted to be here with her daddy all the time, not just every other weekend and on holidays when she split the day up between both her parents.

"Would you like to live here all the time?" Sami asked knowing what her daughter's answer would be before she even spoke it aloud.

"Can we Mommy? I really want to live here," Madison said with such emotion in her tone that it made EJ hold on to her that much tighter, thinking again how he had been blessed by his daughter's unwavering love and devotion to him. Her love was such a precious gift to him and now with the hopes of having Samantha love him, it was more than he had ever expected.

"I do too," Sami replied, as she looked to EJ, suddenly feeling nervous, this was such a huge step for them, especially when everything that was still up in the air concerning Lucas.

"Daddy can we?" Madison asked happily. She always loved staying here and if her mom lived here too it would be perfect.

"It would make me the happiest man on the planet if you would both live here," EJ said, kissing the top of Madison's head and then looking over to Sami.

Madison moved around to drape her arms around her daddy's neck, hugging him, "Thank you Daddy. I love you and Mommy so much."

"We love you too," Sami said as she moved in closer to them both, EJ putting one arm around her waist.

Madison released the hold on EJ and snuggled down against them both on the bed, her happiness growing because this was a totally new experience for her to be with both her parents in this type of setting. "Daddy did Mommy tell you that she and Lucas are getting divorced?"

EJ glanced at Sami and she shrugged her shoulders, they needed to be as open and honest with Madison as they possibly could, "She mentioned it to me."

"She said she and Lucas were going to get a divorce, but when I asked her did that mean you would get married to her she got this funny look on her face. Then she said that things were complicated between you and her and that she didn't know how you felt about her, but Daddy remembered you told me how much you loved Mommy in the hospital."

Sami shot EJ a surprised look, she certainly hadn't expected to hear something like that from Madison, "He really said that honey, when?"

"Madison you crossed your heart not to say a word about this," EJ interjected before Madison could answer. That child of his could unleash more things than her mother apparently.

"Daddy you two are so stubborn that if I don't tell you these things I know that I will be grown up before you two ever decide to get married," Madison rolled her eyes at them both.

"Let's take things one step at a time," Sami said to Madison, hoping she wouldn't talk about them getting married again, it wasn't as if EJ had asked her or that she was even free to think about them being married to one another. "Right now we will concentrate on getting you well and adjusting to moving in and then we'll see."

Madison sighed a bit over dramatically, "I hate it when you say we'll see. Usually that means not now or maybe not even later either."

"Patience is a virtue," EJ said to Madison.

"Whatever virtue is I don't think I like it either," Madison replied, wanting them to get married right now, it would be the best Christmas present she could ever get.

Sami started laughing as EJ tried to get her to stop as he looked over Madison, but she couldn't help it, god help them their daughter was a handful and a half and she was only five, what in the world would she be like when she became a teenager?

"How about we go make breakfast?" EJ suggested anything to get Madison off of this subject, he wanted to ask Sami to marry him, but he wanted it to be the right time, something romantic like she deserved, like he had dreamed of doing years ago.

"Mommy, will you let Daddy show you how to cook?" Madison asked when they were on their way to the kitchen.

"I can cook," Sami said defensively when EJ and Madison shot each a look that said otherwise. "I can."

"Watch us Mommy; we are going to teach you how to make pancakes because I really wanted them yesterday but…"

"Okay, I'll watch," Sami said grumpily interrupting her daughter before she could go any further, Madison and EJ teaming up against her was no fun for her at all.

EJ stopped and gave Sami a kiss on the cheek, "Cooking lessons could be fun. I promise I am a very good teacher."

"I bet you are," Sami rolled her eyes, thinking that she was going to teach him a few more new things too, but right now she was hungry, she bet EJ was starving, last night they had burned off more than a few calories. Her face started to blush as she began to think about it.

EJ started to smile hoping she was remembering last night because he had plenty of things to show her, teaching her how to cook was just one of them.

"Daddy, would you stop trying to flirt with Mommy and help me?" Madison ordered as she went to find the stepstool to reach the cupboard.

"Okay Little Miss Prissy, I'm ready to cook." EJ pulled Sami close to whisper in her ear, "I'll flirt more with you later."

Sami smiled thinking that she was really going to like living here after all.

**Chapter 11**

Sami watched Madison and EJ work together to make the pancakes, it was endearing to see him so sweet and attentive to their daughter, he had been enchanted by her since the day she was born. Now she wondered if this was all going to be a new beginning for them as a family or if her baby girl's time on this earth was not going to be for very long. Just thinking such thoughts made Sami's heart ache, she loved Madison with all her heart and the past month had been pure hell on she and EJ to watch her suffer.

Hearing the laughter resounding from both Madison and EJ, Sami quickly closed her eyes and said a brief prayer for them both. She wanted to hear the happy sounds of their laughter for many years to come.

Finally after much ado, the pancakes were ready, Madison proudly carrying the plate that held them in a huge stack to the breakfast table. Sami had poured their juice and after searching EJ's pantry found the syrup along with retrieving the butter from the refrigerator.

They were all enjoying their breakfast when EJ's cell phone began to ring. He was tempted not to answer it, but there was so many different things that it could be, especially since he hadn't been at work since Madison had been put in the hospital that he felt like he needed to take the call. He excused himself from the table and picked up his cell phone, leaning next to the kitchen counter while he answered the phone.

"Sheri darling, so good to hear from you, no you aren't disturbing me," EJ began to talk to his personal assistant while Sami and Madison continued to eat their pancakes before they got cold. Sami interested in what was going on with the other side of EJ's conversation. He seemed so delighted to hear from her, but not wanting to prevent Madison from eating for this was one of the few times she had seen her daughter have a decent appetite since she had started chemo treatments, so she kept eating. She had to admit EJ could cook quite well, better than her in fact, although she wasn't going to tell him anything of the kind since it would only inflate his ego.

EJ was still talking, "I completely forgot about the company Christmas party," he walked around the room running his hand through his hair while he continued to talk on the phone, his brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to mentally figure out how he was going to juggle everything at work while still staying at home. "Thank you for reminding me, I'll do my best to come, but if I don't make it then you'll have to make my excuses for me. What would I do without you? I'll try to come into the office sometime today even if just for a short while. Okay, see you later."

He hung up his cell phone and looked at the lovely sight at his breakfast table, his two favorite girls eating breakfast. He quickly rejoined them, savoring the remains of his stack of pancakes even if they had cooled off somewhat while he was talking on the phone.

"I apologize for taking so long on the phone. I had completely forgotten about the Christmas party at work," EJ shook his head, not used to forgetting things, then again he had never had to face what he was having to deal with now concerning Madison's illness as a parent either.

"You should go, it is your company. I'm sure everyone would like to see you since you haven't been around the office this past month," Sami reached over to grasp his hand before she even thought about it and before she could take it back, he held onto it reassuringly.

"I don't want to leave Madison," EJ said giving his daughter a loving glance in her direction.

"Daddy, I will be fine. Why don't you take Mommy with you as your date?" Madison suggested innocently with a smile upon her face.

"Madison, I'm not sure that your dad and I should be going out together in public," Sami started to explain even though she could see that Madison thought that excuse was very lame by the expression that was now shadowing her face.

"Mommy, we are living here, so who cares what people think?" Madison shrugged her shoulders as if to signal that she didn't mind at all what anyone thought of her. Sami wished she had of had such confidence in herself at such a young age, maybe her life would have turned out quite differently if she had even though she really was enjoying the latest turn of events of being here with EJ and their daughter.

"Well said Madison," EJ took his glass of juice and raised it in a toast. "Here's to living our lives our way, no matter what people may say about it."

"So are you going to take Mommy to your fancy Christmas party?" Madison asked her dad in a matter of fact manner.

"We don't have a baby sitter," Sami said, not wanting EJ to feel obligated to take her to this party, she was sure he wanted to go by himself if he went at all. "I'll stay home with you baby doll. We'll have a girl's night, just the two of us."

"Mom, while that sounds fun, I was kind of hoping you could ask Uncle Tony and Aunt Anna to come stay with me a while. I had such a fun time with them when they came to the hospital. Daddy, I'm sure they would come and stay so that you and Mommy could go out," Madison was reaching for EJ's phone to call them before her parents could object. She knew their number by heart since her daddy let her call them when she came over to his house on their allotted weekends.

"Madison, you just can't dial them up…" Sami started to say as Madison punched in the number; Tony and Anna were number 2 on his speed dial, she being number 1. Thank goodness she had learned her numbers before she had gotten sick and had to be out from school.

"Aunt Anna, this is Madison. Can you and Uncle Tony come over and play with me tonight? Daddy and Mommy need to go to his company Christmas party," Madison began to explain, pushing her chair back from the table as she started to walk across the room, mimicking her mom's mannerisms of having one hand on her hip while she talked on the cell phone.

Sami and EJ looked at one another, shaking their heads and saying at the same time, "What are we going to do with her?"

Madison waltzed back to the table, her smile triumphant upon her face, "Aunt Anna and Uncle Tony are coming over at 7 pm. Is that time okay with you both?"

EJ tried not to laugh, his daughter was already a schemer just like her mother, "That is fine. Samantha, will you do me the honor of being my date tonight at my company Christmas party?"

"I guess so, since apparently Maddie does not want to do a girl's night with me," Sami said trying to guilt Madison, and to her dismay her daughter was not falling for it at all.

"Mom, we can do girl's night another night," Madison patiently explained as she held out her hand to her mother, "but first we need to find you something special to wear."

"Don't mind me, I'll clean up the dishes," EJ called out to the retreating figures of the girls as they exited the room, a smile forming on his face as he thought that a night out with Samantha would help him tremendously. Maybe he could find some time tonight amidst all the planned festivities to begin romancing her the way he had always wanted to do. At least he hoped tonight would go well, with Samantha you never knew how things would go until they happened.

**Chapter 12**

Sami was frustrated, she didn't have a thing to wear to the party tonight, at least she didn't have anything at EJ's house and the thought of having to return to the home she had shared with Lucas wasn't a very welcome thought for her this morning. She knew she would have to talk to Lucas again soon, they would have to go over things concerning the divorce, but it still stung her pride Lucas had been carrying on with Mimi Lockhart for god knows how long behind her back.

"Mommy, it's okay," Madison said as Sami looked through her meager possessions she had brought over when she agreed to move into EJ's home after Madison had been released from the hospital. Her daughter could sense her mother was dissatisfied with the few choices of clothing she had readily available to her.

"I don't guess I will go," Sami walked over to her bed and flopped down upon it, Madison immediately following suit in mirror perfection of her mother.

Madison leaned up on her elbow and gently removed the forearm Sami had placed over her eyes. "Mommy you have to go. You are Daddy's date."

"I have so many things to do here that I don't need to go sweetie," Sami looked at her daughter and smiled, to be so sick she was eager for her parents to have a good time together with one another.

"Mom, quit making excuses, you know you want to go," Madison stated with such conviction Sami felt she would be upset if she didn't go with EJ tonight. How in the world would she find a dress in time to go to the party?

****************

"Mr. DiMera, so nice to see you," was one of the many greetings EJ received when he walked into Mythic this morning. While most of the workers were busily working to ensure they would have their objectives completed before the Christmas break that started tomorrow for the company, they gave their boss a smile and well wishes as he made his way to his office, summoning Sheri as soon as he entered the door to the inner offices and hub of Mythic.

"Glad you could make it in this morning, you have been missed around here," Sheri noted as EJ quickly went to his desk, scanning various files that had been laid out for him when he returned.

"I've missed being here too, more so than I thought I would," EJ picked up the personnel file and saw there had been a few new hires since he had been in the office. He glanced at the names and resumes looking up to ask Sheri, "So you think we may have finally found someone competent enough to lead the advertising division?"

"She seems more than able to handle the job, but there is just something about her that I don't like," Sheri said hesitantly, she didn't like to talk about people in a bad light ever and it surprised EJ to hear her voice something negative about any of the employees who worked at Mythic.

"Sheri, you always see the good in people," EJ remarked as he looked more closely at the file. "She seems to come with a fabulous set of references. She really used to be an executive at Titan?"

"I'm trying to see the good in her," Sheri shrugged her shoulders, "maybe it is hidden. Don't get me wrong, she is very career driven. I guess I just need to give myself more time to get used to her personality. She is very aggressive and sometimes she comes across as being condescending towards some of the employees."

"Has she been rude to you? I won't stand for someone coming in here trying to bully my staff. You are all too important to me and this company for me to let something like that happen, former executive at Titan or not, I will not have that type of behavior running rampant in my company."

"No, she hasn't been rude, not exactly…"

"What does not exactly entail?"

"I shouldn't have even brought it up EJ. I don't want your first impression meeting her tainted by something I may have said," Sheri reached over to some other files to garner EJ's attention away from the current conversation. "We really need to go over these figures if you have time today."

"You can change the subject almost as well as another woman I know," EJ chuckled, tossing down the personnel file and started analyzing the latest stats of Mythic with his personal assistant.

**************

"Mommy, I'm going to go play in my room for a while," Madison announced after continuing to persuade her mother that she should go to the party. What difference did it make if she didn't have the perfect dress to wear?

"Okay, I'm going to straighten up some things in the house before your daddy comes back home," Sami said, thinking that at least she could divert her attention away by cleaning up the mess that was still in EJ's bathroom. She had wanted to clean up the broken glass earlier but time had slipped away from her. He had not wanted her to go in there, but it would help her get her mind off of what had taken place between them before they had made up with one another. Somehow she couldn't get the fight out of her mind as easily as she had wished she could, it would just take time for her to get over the hurtful things they did to one another, god knew they had a lifetime of things to make up for, at least she knew they were trying and that was a good start.

She found a broom and a dustpan and headed in to clean up the broken glass from the mirror. She didn't want Madison to come in there and be frightened over what the room looked like after EJ had struck the mirror the day before. She carefully picked up the fragments of glass, making sure she had gotten all the tiny particles up, she didn't want Madison to come in here and accidentally step on a piece of glass.

Finally satisfied with the job, she looked up, frowning when she saw the broken mirror. Well she still had her connections with the various companies Lucas used for his contracting business; she would make a few calls to have a new mirror installed for EJ. He had enough on his plate with work that he didn't need to be bothered with minor details such as these. She could have something ordered and installed for him, it was the least she could do.

************

"Yes, I need to speak to my daddy," Madison said into her cell phone. "You know Mr. DiMera? Yes, thank you, I am feeling better, but I really need to talk to my daddy." A few seconds later Madison was connected to her father, she spoke in a tone barely above a whisper, "Daddy, I need your help."

"Sweetheart, why are you whispering?" EJ asked when her call came in, the secretary relaying that Madison had wished to speak to him.

"I'm trying not to let Mommy know that I'm calling you," she continued to speak in a low voice.

"What are you up to now?" EJ asked amused, with Madison he never knew exactly what new scheme she would come up with considering her vivid imagination.

"Daddy, this is serious. Mommy is like Cinderella. She says that she doesn't have anything decent to wear to your party and she probably won't be able to go." Madison began to inform her father in an impression that mimicked her mother's about her lack of clothing she had available to wear at his house.

"Well that is a dire situation indeed, maybe I can help," EJ said trying not to laugh, Madison was such a joy to him being concerned her mother wouldn't go with him tonight only proved what a schemer she was truly turning out to be, more like her mother he deduced with each passing day.

"Oh good Daddy, please do something to surprise her," Madison then added, "I think she needs a good surprise to make her smile."

"We do want to see your mother smiling, don't we? Just leave it up to me and act like you don't know anything when her package arrives at the house," EJ said in a conspiratorial voice, he loved having Madison at home with him now, even with all the things his daughter had endured over the last month, she was concerned about her mother's happiness along with his own.

"Okay Daddy, I'll put on my best surprised act that I have," Madison said blowing him a kiss into the phone. "Bye Daddy, I love you."

"Love you too sweetheart, thank you for calling me; I'll get right on this, we can't have your mother not wanting to go to the party."

"Make it a dress as pretty as Cinderella's" Madison added before hanging up on the call.

"I will," EJ said to himself as the line went dead. He knew exactly what to do. Samantha would be dressed liked a queen tonight or at least for part of the night anyway he smirked as he dialed the number to Suzy's, one of his top clients whose boutique specialized in women's clothing. Surely Suzy would have something that would fit what he needed for Samantha. "Yes, I need to speak with Suzy. No, I can't speak with anyone else, please tell her EJ DiMera is on the line for her. Yes, I can hold."

Within a few short minutes EJ had everything ordered and specified to have the box delivered to his home for Samantha as soon as possible.

An hour later, there was a knock on the door, Sami went to open it wondering who would be visiting and was surprised to see a very beautiful woman at the door, holding a huge pristine white box with only a bright red ribbon tied on the outside of it.

"May I help you?" Sami asked.

"Are you Samantha?" The lady asked with a hint of a smile on her face.

"Yes, I'm Samantha," she answered puzzled that the lady was asking for her.

"This is for you," the lady handed Sami the box.

"Who is it from?"

"Mr. DiMera," the lady said as she started away, and then turned around adding, "But there is one thing."

"What is it?" Sami asked feeling her bewilderment grow over the lady's arrival at EJ's house, not to mention her curiosity over what was in the box.

"Mr. DiMera requested that you not open the box," the lady stated with seriousness in her tone.

"I can't open the box, but it is for me," Sami wrinkled her brow. It just didn't make sense to be given a box and then instructed not to open it.

"That is exactly what Madame Suzy instructed me to tell you," the lady then left Sami standing at the door, her curiosity building as the lady got in her car to drive away.

"Mommy, who is at the door?" Madison asked as Sami began to shut it, having a slightly difficult time managing the task while balancing the box with one hand. "I'll shut the door for you."

"Thank you baby doll," Sami smiled at Madison while her fingers itched to untie the bow that surrounded the box.

"What did you get Mommy?" Madison asked, she loved surprises and was playing this to the hilt, knowing her daddy had promised to get her mommy something great for the party tonight.

"I don't know, it is from your daddy, but I have instructions not to open the box," Sami was dying of curiosity to find out what was inside and it must have shown on her face while she spoke to Madison.

"Well sometimes I peek," Madison offered up with an impish smile. "I mean I won't tell Daddy if you won't."

Sami looked at her daughter and smiled, carefully untying the bow so that she could tie it back neatly again. Madison was right, EJ wouldn't know if she looked in the box or not. She opened the box with a happy squeal, oh it was beautiful. A note fluttered on the floor as Sami held up the slinky black dress up to her form.

"Mommy, this dropped out," Madison informed her mother as she handed her the note with only Samantha written on the outside of the envelope. "I guess you should open it since it fell out of the box."

Sami opened the envelope laughing as she read the contents of the letter enclosed:

_My darling Samantha, ___

_I knew you wouldn't be able to resist opening up your package. You and Madison seem to share a curiosity that is unmatched by very few people I have ever known.___

_I hope you like the dress and shoes. I can't wait to see you in them tonight when we attend the party.___

_I only have one request since you have already disregarded my first one by opening the box, please have your makeup ready, but don't dress yet. I'll be home by six to make sure it fits you properly. I'll meet you in our bedroom.___

_With much anticipation until I see your lovely face again…___

_Love always, ___

_EJ_

Sami folded the letter carefully and placed it back into the envelope. A shiver of excitement coursing through her after she had read the letter, so lost in thought she almost failed to notice the exquisite high heeled shoes that accompanied her dress until she heard Madison putting them on and attempting to walk in them. Her baby girl loved shoes as much as she did as they both began to laugh together over Madison trying to strut around the room in shoes that were too high and big for her tiny feet to wear.

She was still smiling as the afternoon progressed. She looked at her dress once again. She couldn't wait for EJ to come home. Yes, it looked like tonight was definitely going to be a night to remember.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 13**

It had been a good day to be back at work, in his absence many things had happened, but his staff had been able to handle the daily challenges of running the corporation while he had been unable to come to work. The day passed by so quickly with him trying to catch up that EJ hardly had time to think about tonight, even though he couldn't wait to shower Samantha with the love and attention she so richly deserved.

Madison greeted him at the door, the precious sight of seeing his little girl so anxious for him to come home from work that it melted his heart instantly as he scooped her up in his arms, listening to her chatter on about her day with mommy.

"Where is your mum?" EJ asked after he had settled Madison in her room with one of her favorite DVD's to watch until Tony and Anna would arrive to stay with her tonight while he and Samantha attended the party.

"She said she had to get ready for the party," Madison said smiling.

"Good, so do you think she liked her dress?" EJ asked Madison.

"What are you talking about Daddy? Are you asking about what was in the box you sent to her this afternoon?" Madison asked innocently as if she and her mother had never opened the package.

"Madison you may be able to fool many people, but your father is not one of them," EJ tapped her lightly on the nose. "Why do you think I hide all your Christmas presents?"

Madison shrugged her shoulders and looked around the room concentrating on the murals that were painted on her bedroom walls, "You might need to find some new hiding places."

"You are such a little imp," EJ started laughing as he kissed the top of her forehead. "Please be good for Tony and Anna, they aren't as used to your tricks as I am."

"Daddy, I am not an imp, I'm a sprite," Madison pouted before throwing her arms around his neck and giving him a big kiss on the cheek.

"You are and I love you my little sprite," EJ hugged her tightly, picking her up once again before gently settling her back down. "Mum and I will come tell you goodbye before we leave." He glanced at his watch, noting the time, thinking he had just enough time to get ready along with helping Samantha get ready before Tony and Anna arrived.

"Okay Daddy," Madison settled back in her favorite bean bag chair in her room and begun to watch her movie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sami was doing the finishing touches on her makeup at the dressing table in EJ's room, his bedroom was so spacious and then she felt a thrill run down her spine when she recalled EJ's letter to her calling his bedroom their bedroom. She looked around the room thinking of what had taken place there so far between them and wondering what else would happen in this room. EJ had told her there was an honesty in bed and she was starting to see that with him. Then she shook her head musing that she could recall things EJ had said to her years ago.

He found her sitting at the dressing table, already a few of her things were scattered upon the table and he smiled, he had longed for her to be in his life for so long and now she was here. She was dressed in a short robe, a silky one from what he could tell from this vantage point as he walked into the room after locking the door behind him. He surely didn't want Madison to happen upon them while they were getting ready for the party because he had something special planned for Samantha before they left the house.

He crept up behind her quietly, taking off his jacket to toss it on the bed and loosing up his tie before gently placing his hands on her shoulders, softly whispering in her ear, "Darling, I'm home."

She smiled leaning her head back against him as she reached up a hand to caress his cheek, "Welcome home."

He kissed her hand and then helped her up, bringing her around to face him, "So I see you actually followed my request."

"I didn't put on the dress, but I'm curious as to why you didn't want me to do so," Sami eyed him curiously, trying to figure out his motives.

"I'm going to dress you myself," he stated simply as he opened her robe, giving him a glimpse of her in her lacy lingerie, her bra and panties a skimpy fare to say the least.

"You are, are you?" she asked flashing him a smile.

"I am," he answered, taking a finger and running it under the edge of her bra strap before pushing it down past her shoulder.

"EJ, what are you doing?" Sami asked as he went to push down the other bra strap too.

"Taking this off," he said as he continued onward reaching around her to unclasp it, instantly releasing her breasts as he pulled it off the rest of the way.

"EJ," Sami began trying to cover her chest, but he wouldn't allow it, giving her a shake of his head.

"These have to go too," EJ noted, skimming his fingers down away from her breasts to the lacy thong panties she was wearing.

"EJ, I can't go to the party not wearing any…"

He cut her off before she could finish her sentence, "No one will know, but me." He gave her a roguish smile that made her instantly start to tingle, goodness the power he had over her was something she hadn't taken too much thought analyzing before now, she quickly realized she was going to have to give this much more thought soon.

He turned her around so that her back was to him, he still fully clothed and she the exact opposite. He lifted her hair and placed a light kiss on her neck causing her to arch in his direction as she leaned back against him, the stark contrast of her state of undress coming into contact with him arousing her more than she thought possible as he took her hands in his and brought them up to her breasts, squeezing them ever so slightly and making her breath start to come in short pants with just this simple movement.

"EJ…"

"Shhh, just feel," he requested taking her hands away from her breasts and guiding them slowly downward until she reached her most private place and he intertwined their fingers lightly caressing herself in the process.

"EJ…" she started to protest again, but he would not allow her to stop.

"You are so beautiful, so very beautiful," he whispered as he continued to pleasure her, she going limp in his arms as the sensations kept building up and she rotated her hips finally allowing him more access as she gave herself over to his wicked temptations. The things he could do to her with just his hands was incredible as he held her in his arms continuing to move faster and harder as she felt herself soaring higher. She bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out when she started to climax. When he felt her start to relax as the first waves of her orgasm was beginning to subside her turned her around again, crushing her mouth to his as he finally kissed her mouth.

Then he let her go and she felt like she would melt into a puddle in the floor until he steadied her in his arms and said, "Now I'll dress you."

"Okay," was all she could utter, her mind not readily focusing in the aftermath of their unexpected encounter.

He sat her down on the bed, enjoying the view of her sitting there as he watched her trying to anticipate his next move. He found the shoebox containing her black high heeled sandals and walked back over to the bed, kneeling on one knee and then lifting one foot, rubbing the sole of her instep before sliding the shoe on her foot and carefully buckling it in place. He repeated the process with her other foot, his head bowed as he put her shoes on her feet.

She wanted to run her fingers in those black silken locks of hair, yet she didn't want to deter him from this process, she had never had a man do this for her before and it was very sensual to say the least. He slid his hands up her legs and then braced himself on the bed as he pushed himself back up to a standing position. He held out his hand to help her up and she gave it to him.

She stood there awaiting his next move as he took the dress he had bought her earlier in the day from the hanger she had placed it on and took it to her, prompting her to raise her arms which she did allowing him to drape the dress over her form, carefully smoothing it down over her hips and bottom before turning her around from him again to zip it up for her as he whispered once more, "I knew this would look fabulous on you, there was definitely no need for any undergarments no matter how sexy they looked on you. Now put your hair up, but don't redo your makeup."

"Why?" she asked already wanting him to touch her again, but knowing it would be quite a while before they would be alone again, she knew Tony and Anna would be there any minute and EJ had to get dressed for the party too.

"Because you look perfect darling, you are absolutely glowing," EJ turned her to face the mirror at the dressing table as he stood behind. He eyed her appreciatively and then without warning a frown came over his face.

"Is something wrong?" Sami asked noting his sudden frown.

"Just one thing is missing?"

"What?" she asked as EJ went to retrieve his jacket from the bed, pulling a box out of the inside coat pocket.

"You need this," EJ opened the box, after she had set back down and he placed the sparkling diamond necklace around her neck, clasping the necklace securely around her neck and standing back to admire her in the mirror.

"EJ, this is too much, you shouldn't have," Sami began as EJ shushed her once more.

"You are worth more to me than any diamonds," EJ noted as he kissed her on the shoulder, "they pale in comparison to your beauty, but I thought it would look nice with your dress."

"Thank you," she said, not used to be given such gifts. She wouldn't deny him though because she could see how much he enjoyed giving the necklace to her.

"You're welcome," he said with a warm smile, "Now I'll just need a few minutes. It won't take me long to get out of these clothes and into my tux."

"Do you need any help?" she asked coyly turning her head in his direction to look him in the eye.

"No, we'll save you dressing me for another time. I'm afraid Tony and Anna will be here any minute and we need to get going even though I'd rather stay at home in bed with you instead of going out tonight," he said as he turned to go to his closet leaving her sitting there with a smile upon her face.

She thought of how much fun they could have at the party. Maybe somehow she could maneuver to get him alone even if it were only for a few minutes until they could come home again and retreat into the sanctuary of their bedroom together.

**Chapter 14**

"Are you ready to tackle babysitting your granddaughter?" Anna asked Tony after he had parked the car in EJ's driveway.

"Anna, be careful of your choice of words darling," Tony cautioned her afraid one day Anna would accidentally let it slip that EJ was their son instead of Stefano's.

"It's just me and you in the car," Anna gave him a grimace, she was so tired of hiding the fact that EJ and Madison were related to them more than just being Madison's aunt and uncle and EJ's siblings. In fact this entire charade was taking its toll on her especially since Madison had become ill with leukemia.

"I know, but what would we do if EJ found out the truth or even worse Stefano?" Tony inquired of his wife, wishing she could just let them go on with how things were even though there were times he wished EJ could know the truth also. They had hidden the truth from EJ for so long now that it would only be much more difficult for them all if the truth of EJ's paternity and the things Stefano had done to both Tony and Anna ever came out into the open.

"Tony, I want EJ to know, this is killing me keeping the truth from our son, our only son," she emphasized heavily before Tony exited the car going around to the passenger side to open her door for her so that she could get out of the car too.

"No Anna, on this issue I remain firm," Tony shook his head, no matter what stunts Anna might pull there was no way he was going to endanger the lives of EJ or Madison by having the truth exposed. Stefano may be an old man, but he was as dangerous now as he ever was and he just couldn't risk it even if Anna begged him almost daily to the contrary.

She cast him a glare as they went to the front door, but her anger disappeared as soon as she saw Madison opening the door for them, "Hello sweet girl, how are you doing?"

Madison instantly wrapped her arms around Anna tightly, she loved her so and she couldn't wait to let her know that she knew about their secret, but she'd talk to them about that later after her daddy and mommy left to go to the party.

"I'm feeling good now that I'm at home with daddy and having mommy decide to move in with us," Madison announced proudly, finally her parents were living together and maybe one day they could get married. She was still trying to figure out how to get that to happen, but she thought her parents were getting along a lot better, her mommy was even smiling and humming to herself today when she didn't think Madison realized it.

"We are so thankful to have you home too," Anna said as Tony came in with loads of presents.

"Are those for me?" Madison's eyes lit up, when she saw the big stash of brightly wrapped boxes that Tony had in his possession.

"Mostly for you, a few for your father too," Tony said coming into the house and looking around the living room. "Madison, do you not have a Christmas tree up yet?"

Madison shook her head, "I knew mommy and daddy had a lot going on and I didn't want to remind them."

Anna and Tony looked at each other, both thinking they knew exactly how they would spend the evening as Tony took out his cell phone making arrangements for a tree to be delivered to the house. "Now remember Madison, not a word of this to your father, we'll let it be a surprise for him and your mother when they return home."

"What kind of surprise?" EJ asked as he and Sami came out of the bedroom, both dressed for the party and looking very happy with one another.

"Nothing Daddy, Uncle Tony was just talking to me," Madison gave her father a look like he didn't have clue about much of anything and they started to laugh.

"Okay, please behave for your aunt and uncle," EJ reminded her as Sami bent down to give Madison a hug goodbye.

"She'll be perfect, she always is," Anna assured them as EJ and Sami started to make their departure with Anna telling them to stay out as late as they wanted to do so, she and Tony had been so looking forward to spending the evening with Madison ever since they had received the call from her.

"Bye Mommy and Daddy," Madison called out to EJ and Sami as they left for the party. Madison then turned around to face Tony and Anna giving them her most serious expression. "Tony and Anna, I have something to ask you both."

"Ask away little one, what do you want? Something exotic from our next trip to the Orient or another fabulous doll from Milan, just name it and we'll get it for you." Tony said ushering her back into the living room.

Madison took a deep breath, placing her hands on her hips and said, "I want to know how long you are going to wait before you tell my daddy that you both are his parents, not Stefano?"

Tony and Anna looked at one another in confusion both at a loss for words while Madison continued to stand there patiently waiting for their answer.

**Chapter 15**

Sami was acutely aware of EJ as he drove his sports car to the party, she noticed how his hands gripped the gear shift and steering wheel, his complete confidence as he changed gears, speeding on into the night and she imagined how his hands would feel much later when they were back at home. She wanted him right now with an intensity that surprised her, his arousing her and bringing her to a climax just by helping to dress her for the party only whetted her appetite for him.

He could tell she was observing him, she was quiet, giving him no clue to her thoughts, but if the sparkle in her eyes was any indication, EJ bet she was thinking about their encounter earlier, god how he wished they didn't have to go to this party, he wanted to be alone with her, not to share her attention with anyone else tonight. He shook his head knowing he had obligations to his employees, with his absence from work over the past month now more than ever they needed to know he was still there for them, that he cared about the people who worked for him. Why his Christmas parties had become legendary, he always looked forward to them when the time rolled around each year, but tonight he had the one woman by his side that made everything else seem frivolous, they had missed so much time together he didn't want to waste another minute away from her.

Finally they arrived at Mythic's newest complex; the building the party would be held at this year had been completed this past summer. As the company expanded EJ had been fortunate enough to buy some property on the waterfront and the view from his new office was simply incredible. His growing company now had two locations in Salem, he just couldn't give up the place he had originated the company along with new subsidiaries in London, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. He had a lot to be proud of, he had amassed a small fortune in the years since Mythic had been created, something that one day he hoped to pass on to Madison when the time was right and then it hit him, she might not be around for him to do so.

She could sense that he was in deep thought when he parked the car, he had made no move to get out yet, so she reached over to him to seek out his attention, "What are you thinking about? You got this really serious look upon your face as soon as we arrived."

He turned to face her, "Samantha, I have so much on my mind that I wish we didn't have to be here tonight. I don't even know where to start with so many different things going on."

She gently touched his face, glad that he was beginning to let her into his innermost private thoughts. "You need to be here tonight and afterwards we can," she paused for a few seconds, giving him a knowing look, "talk, among other things."

He kissed her hand and shifted her across the gear shift to settle into his lap, "I think I'd like that very much. You have a way of making me see things much clearer."

She leaned in closer to him, the material of her dress rubbing against her naked body underneath making her squirm a bit in his lap and causing her to want him even more. "From where I'm currently at I'm feeling things are so much…"

"Harder?" EJ asked, mischief blazing in his eyes as he felt himself aroused by her close proximity to him in the car.

"Yes, that was exactly the word I was searching for," she started to giggle until he kissed her and then she was swept away by his touch and they both forgot about going inside to the party for quite some time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``

"Well aren't you two going to say something?" Madison asked as she looked at both Tony and Anna anxiously awaiting their answer.

"Madison, while I'm sure you have inherited your mother's vivid imagination," Tony began while Anna shot him a imploring look at his implausible explanation of trying convince their granddaughter she didn't know what she was talking about at all.

"Tony, please I heard you and Anna talking," Madison walked over to them both so that they would have to face her directly in the eyes while they talked.

"Tonight?" Tony asked giving Anna an I told you so look, he knew she should have kept quiet earlier when they arrived.

"No," Madison shook her head, those piercing blue eyes so much like her mother's giving them both a stare down that could rival any DiMera around. She truly was a product of her environment, no doubt about it.

"Madison honey," Anna took the little girl's hands into her own, noticing once again how much she reminded her of herself, the determination inside her could rival her own any day, "why do you think we are EJ's parents?"

"I may be little, but I'm not dumb," she saw their looks like they didn't believe her, yet she knew better, she was smart, her parents told her so and even if she had missed the past few weeks of school she was pretty sure she could catch up quickly when she went back to school.

"Sweetheart, we have never implied you were dumb, you are a very intelligent girl." Tony started to compliment Madison, but she was not having any of it, she wanted to know the truth from them.

"Look, I heard you talking about being my daddy's parents when I was in the hospital. I mean really do you think I was sleeping the entire time I was at the hospital? How am I ever supposed to find out anything if I don't pretend to be sleeping? That is when you grownups do all the really interesting talking anyway."

Anna burst out laughing, this little girl may be like her mother, but she was a spitfire like her too and she loved it. She turned to Tony and said, "Tony, I think it's time we tell EJ the truth, don't you?"

"Anna," Tony started to argue, but Madison wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a hug saying, "I like you better than Stefano anyway."

Tony looked over Madison, worry in his eyes, knowing that he had no choice in the matter, he couldn't keep fighting both of them, somehow he would have to find a way to tell EJ the truth and god help them all when Stefano found out.

**Chapter 16**

Sami tried her best to look composed when they walked into the party, she was sure everyone could tell she was a bit flustered. She snuck a glance at EJ and he was all smiles as he guided her into one of the main rooms decorated to the hilt with Christmas trappings all about the room.

She hoped her dress was okay, rearranging it in the dark after she and EJ had what could only be dubbed as a quickie in the car before coming into the party. Why anyone could have passed by the car and they had been so caught up in one another they wouldn't have even noticed.

She needed to go to the ladies room, she knew her makeup would have to be touched up and god only knew what her hair looked liked as she felt a strand of it falling even as they walked into the room. "EJ, I need to go freshen up," she told him right before he could introduce her to some of his employees.

His breath was warm in her ear while he whispered naughtily, "I wonder if anyone can tell we just had sex."

She turned on him wanting to shush him as if the entire room could hear him talking about their recent tryst in his car instead of whispering about such things into her ear, "EJ, show me where I need to go."

"Okay darling," he placed his hand on her back, rubbing it slightly up and down until she turned and gave him a warning look.

"EJ, everyone is going to know," she almost cried, no way she wanted to meet his employees looking like a brazen hussy.

"I promise to be good," he said in mock seriousness until he leaned in closer to her to whisper to her again, "Unless you want me to be really bad instead."

"EJ I swear I'm going to hit you," she warned until she realized they reached the door to the ladies' room.

"So what you saying is that you're going to get kinky with me later?" he asked starting to laugh outright when she turned on her heel and flounced into the ladies room, not even bothering to answer him. He loved making her blush and when he thought back to just a few minutes ago having her in his car, riding him frantically as they sought each other's pleasure in the close quarters of the car it made him think of finding a way to get her alone here at the party. He had to have her again before they reached home.

He was lost in thought of planning another seduction of Samantha when one of his executives came up to him, noticing his demeanor which was quite unlike his business persona of the office, why if she didn't know better she would think her boss was in love, but that wasn't possible, EJ never got involved with anyone seriously, ever. Not in the entire time she had been in his employ had he ever gone out with anyone for more than just a few dates. He was one man who steered clear of emotional attachments of the heart.

"EJ, how are you? I missed seeing you in the office earlier even though I heard you were able to come in for a while today," Claudia gave him a warm smile, she had missed seeing him lately, he was a good man to work for, very fair and generous. Ever since she had left her family's business to strike out on her own, EJ had proven to be a great ally for her, his understanding of being trapped by your family's wealth and name was only one of a few things they shared in common.

"Claudia darling, so good to see you," his smile was infectious as he gave her a hug, she was one of his top executives, her business savvy was well known in the field of communications.

"Good to see you too," she kissed him on the cheek before looking around the room.

"Looking for Nikolas?" EJ asked, knowing how much in love Claudia was with her newlywed husband. She had just come back from a long business trip to London working on getting the London offices of Mythic up and running and they hadn't been able to talk to one another beyond a few brief calls while EJ had been absent from Mythic this past month.

"No, he's around here somewhere," Claudia gave EJ a searching look; something was different about him that was for sure.

"Then what is it? You are looking at me like I've grown horns or something in my head," EJ joked with her, he had missed talking to her about things, she understood him better than most of the people he worked with, she was one of the few people he had actually let get close enough to him to form a bond of friendship over the years since they had become reacquainted with one another. Their families going way back with one another.

"You look happy," she said, giving him another once over.

"I am darling, I am," he replied, his smile growing even bigger as he thought of Samantha, he couldn't wait for Claudia to meet her.

"Spill," Claudia urged wanting to know exactly what had gotten her friend into such a fantastic frame of mind, especially with all the medical problems his daughter had been facing.

EJ was about to launch into how he and Samantha were together when a tall blonde woman came up to Claudia grabbing her by the arm and interrupting them from continuing their conversation.

"Claudia, you have to introduce me," she said, instantly coming in between Claudia and EJ extending her finely manicured hand in EJ's direction.

Claudia stared at the woman like she wanted to hit her, but refrained from the impulse, with a smile pasted on her face that EJ instantly recognized as being false, Claudia tilted her head and said, "Nicole, this is EJ."

She immediately took his hand shaking it firmly and gave him a megawatt smile, "I've been dying to meet you ever since I joined your company."

"So I take it you must be the new advertising executive that my company hired during my absence?" EJ asked looking her over wondering if she was as aggressive as Sheri had let on to him earlier when they were going over financial reports in his office today.

"That would be me, I'm going to help bring Mythic more business than you could ever imagine," Nicole said confidently not letting go of EJ's hand even when his grip slacked up on her.

Claudia rolled her eyes over Nicole's shoulder almost making EJ laugh and mouthed, "We'll talk later."

EJ nodded his head, hoping that Samantha would come find him soon, he didn't want to talk business tonight and so far Nicole had begun reciting a litany of her accomplishments to him as soon as Claudia had made her departure from them. He tried to appear interested, but he couldn't' stop thinking about Samantha as Nicole droned on and on about what she thought she could do for his company.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Sami looked at her reflection in the mirror, her skin was flushed, her eyes were blazing and she thought her hair was a complete mess. How would she ever get it to look presentable in such a short time? She took her hands and ran her fingers through her hair deciding there was no way she could get her unruly hair to stay up anymore, she would just have to wear it down tonight.

She opened her pocketbook, took out her lipstick and reapplied it to her lips, thinking it would have to do and hoping she looked okay. She took one last look at the mirror and headed out of the ladies room, only to stop dead in her tracks when she saw EJ talking to the one woman she despised even more than Kate Roberts and that was saying a lot.

She thought many bad thoughts as she made her way to EJ from across the room wanting nothing more than to push that gold digging tramp aside away from him. From where she could see them, it looked like Nicole was practically fawning over him. She felt her temper start to rise and tried her best to smile even though she didn't feel like smiling at all. How could she not have known that Nicole Walker was back in Salem?

_Exactly what in the hell was EJ doing talking to that bitch anyway?_

_**Chapter 17**_

"What do you think about the decorations?" Tony asked after letting Madison put the star upon the top of the tree. Madison had told Anna where her daddy put his decorations so they took them and decorated the tree that Tony had brought in for their Christmas.

"It's perfect Tony; can I still call you Tony?" Madison asked when Tony put her back down and they all observed the tree. It was pretty and Madison thought it would be a nice surprise for her mommy and daddy after they got home from the party tonight. She only hoped she will still be awake when they got home, but she was getting very sleepy already.

"Of course you can Madison," Tony said still not completely convinced that he should tell EJ about being his father, but between Anna and Madison he could see there would be no backing down from them. "We all need to be in agreement that we wait until after Christmas to tell your dad."

"Okay, then we tell him as soon as Christmas is over," Anna chimed in, happy that at least within a few days she could finally let the truth out.

"You have to let us tell your dad alone though," Tony cautioned Madison, hoping she would understand.

"Won't daddy be happy?" Madison asked wondering why Tony didn't want to tell him when they were all around.

"He isn't expecting this kind of news," Tony explained. "So it may be kind of a shock to him at first."

"But when he knows the truth he will be happy, I know he will," Madison declared with such childlike innocence Tony was afraid to tell her that her daddy might not be as receptive to learning the news than she thought he would.

Tony looked over to Anna worry etched in his features, before long things were going to be very different for all of them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

EJ could see her approaching with a look upon her face that he wasn't anticipating seeing her wear tonight. Samantha looked as if she was ready to kill someone and unfortunately he seemed to be in her sights.

EJ managed to pull his hand away from Nicole's tenacious grip and gave Sami a welcoming smile, "Sweetheart, let me introduce you to Nic…"

"I know who that bitch is," Sami huffed giving Nicole a look that suggested she should leave, but of course she wasn't planning on going anywhere, not after finally being introduced to the man she had been trying to meet for almost a month with no success.

"Scami, I mean Sami and I know each other very well," Nicole said snidely, giving Sami a look of pure disdain, she truly hated Sami more than any other person in the world and to have her show up here of all places suddenly put a damper on her evening.

"So I guess introductions aren't necessary then," EJ quipped, taking the opportunity to grab a drink from one of the waiters that was circulating around the room with a tray of drinks for the party guests.

"No they are not, unless you'd like for me to inform you that if you've never seen one before you're getting an up close look of what a total skank looks like standing in front of you right now," Sami unceremoniously took EJ by the arm, aptly snubbing Nicole in the process as she began to steer him away from her.

"Are you going to let her talk to me that way EJ? She's the whore, not me. I didn't know you were so hard up for workers that Sami works for your company, then again with her poor working skills it is highly doubtful that I've seen her at work before now," Nicole turned her nose up thinking she'd find out what department Sami worked in after the Christmas break and begin making her life a living hell.

EJ stopped and turned back to face Nicole, "While you came highly recommended, please do not speak about the mother of my child that way ever again, unless you'd rather start off the new year by looking for another job instead. Samantha does not work for me; she and I are engaged to be married."

Sami gave Nicole a nasty smile as she and EJ walked away from her, thinking Nicole better start looking for a job soon because there was no way in hell that bitch was going to be working anywhere near EJ. She'd kill her first.

Claudia came by Nicole who looked kind of bewildered after hearing the unsettling news of Sami being the mother of EJ's child. She had heard stories of what a devoted father he was to his daughter, but had never guessed that Sami was the mother. She guessed her time away from Salem had brought about many more changes that she could of never dreamed of happening.

"What's the matter Nicole? Your meeting our boss not turn out the way you expected?" Claudia asked trying not to burst out laughing, as she had caught the tail end of their confrontation after finding her husband Nikolas.

"Did you know he was engaged?" Nicole asked with a slight perturbed look upon her face. She had been looking forward to meeting the enigmatic owner of Mythic ever since she had been hired and now she suddenly felt deflated hearing Sami was engaged to him.

Claudia just smiled, loving the fact that the self confident woman in front of her was finally showing a crack in her veneer, "Of course I did, I thought everyone in the office knew. Oh wait, EJ had said he was going to announce their engagement later so not everyone knows about his good news yet. Guess we are just the lucky ones. Ta." She took Nikolas by the arm and off they went away from Nicole without a second thought.

Nicole rolled her eyes and got a drink from one of the waiters, her night of fun instantly fizzling out by the news that the man she had been interested in was already taken.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EJ led Sami away from the party up to the privacy of his office; he could tell she wasn't in the proper frame of mind to meet everyone after her encounter with his new employee.

"I can't believe that bitch works here," Sami began to rage as soon as they were out of earshot away from the other partygoers.

"Darling, tonight was the first time I had ever met her, she was hired while I was out on personal leave from work," EJ started to explain, he hadn't seen Sami this fired up about a person in a very long time.

"By the way when did we get engaged? What was that all about?" She asked giving him a quizzical look turning her ire upon him as well.

"Sorry I was just trying to take the wind out of her sails after she insulted you and it was the first thing that came to mind. I guess I was just projecting my hopes we'd be engaged and married soon," EJ shrugged his shoulders thinking maybe he was jumping the gun, but he would marry Samantha tomorrow if she was free, he was so much in love with her that it made him say and do things he wouldn't do under normal circumstances.

"You really want us to get married?" Sami asked wishing she hadn't let her temper get so out of control, but she couldn't stand Nicole. EJ had no idea what kind of woman she was and it bothered her Nicole was working for his company.

"I know we discussed you can't commit to anything because you're still married to Lucas, but I thought when we were talking you understood that I wanted us to get married," EJ brought her in front of him gently pulling her to stand in between his legs as he sat on the edge of his desk. "I love you Samantha, and if we are fortunate to have another child I want us to be married when he or she gets here. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Raising our family together, not apart, don't you love me too?"

"EJ you know I do, but things…"

"No buts, you love me and I love you, we will get the other things worked out in time," EJ said wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her into a kiss stopping her from arguing with him. He didn't want to fight with her tonight; they had more important things to do like making love in his office.

Sami linked her arms around his neck, wishing things would get worked out soon; she wanted to marry EJ too. She only hoped this time around they could get things right instead of everything falling apart like most things tended to happen in her crazy life. She was about to say as much to him when he started kissing her neck and suddenly everything she wanted to say flew from her mind and she was totally captivated by him and forgot about her worries of the future while she was in his arms.

**Chapter 18**

"EJ, don't you think we need to get back to your party?" Sami asked breathlessly when she felt EJ's hand sneaking up to unzip the back of her dress.

"They aren't missing me," EJ replied dismissing the thought of going back to the party at the moment, more intent upon his current task of undressing her, now that Samantha was in his life assuring him of her love he was transfixed with an all consuming need to be with her. She was so intoxicating that it was difficult to concentrate on much more beyond indulging in the sweet pleasures of her body.

"I bet they are," Sami began to argue weakly as she felt EJ's lips upon her neck, making her try to twist away from him, he really did know how to push her buttons because she was quickly forgetting the exact reason why they needed to get back to the party as he kept kissing her neck, and somewhere along the way he had peeled the dress away from her body.

"I want you," EJ whispered seductively as his hands seemed to be everywhere all at once upon her body, making her head fall back as she felt him lead her away from his desk over to the windows which had a picturesque view of the waterfront beyond the wall of glass that surrounded his office.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, trying to catch her breath when EJ stopped kissing her and reached to open the door that apparently would lead them directly outside his office.

"Out here," EJ said, taking her by the hands while she started to shake her head, trying to stall him from going further.

"EJ, I'm completely naked," she stated as her eyes grew wider when he kept leading her out the door.

"You have your shoes on," EJ remarked with a hint of mirth in his voice.

"Someone will see us," Sami pulled back, hesitant to be outside of his office without a stitch of clothing upon her body.

"No they won't," EJ assured her as he finally pulled her to him, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist as he leaned over her shoulder. "Plus the view from my office is absolutely breathtaking."

The cold night air hit Sami instantly affecting her as she leaned back against EJ, the thrill of being out here with him was starting to seep into her even though she started to shiver. EJ pulled her even closer so that she could feel his erection even through his clothing.

"You're right about one thing," Sami said as she tried to snuggle closer to him and he began to nuzzle her neck one more.

"What's that?" EJ asked looking up after nipping at her neck.

"The view is incredible, but…" she hesitated not revealing anything else to him.

"But what?" EJ questioned thinking this had to be one of the most beautiful spots to look out upon, especially at night.

She turned to face him as she started to unbutton his white dress shirt, "There's just one thing missing to make this an absolutely breathtaking view."

"What would that be?" EJ asked as he started to feel her hands slide under his shirt caressing his skin as they started to make their way to the waistband of his tuxedo trousers.

"For you to be naked too," Sami smiled mischievously as she undid the fastening seeking to stroke him fully.

"That could be arranged," EJ said with a smile, his eyes twinkling in the darkness.

"Good," she started to stroke him even harder as he tried to step out of his pants without falling down, thankful he hadn't imbibed too much already from the drinks on hand at the party. The sound of her laughter was music to his ears and he was naked as she was and he turned her around to press her up against the wall and they looked into each other's eyes and suddenly her laughter died and she said, "Now the view is perfect."

"Yes, it is," and he began to kiss her, oblivious to the view or anything else except pleasing her.

**Chapter 19**

Madison held out for a long time hoping to see her parent's eyes when they saw her surprise she had arranged for them, but she could no longer keep her eyes open and succumbed to sleep, laying her head in Anna's lap. Anna looked down at her sleeping form, love overflowing for her granddaughter. It was going to be so wonderful to be able to acknowledge Madison was truly her own instead of having to claim being her aunt; she could feel tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes as she absently stroked her arm while Madison snuggled up closer to her while she slept.

Tony observed them both in the soft lighting of the room, the love of his life Anna with his granddaughter; things were so very complicated, how would he ever be able to make EJ understand why he and Anna had kept their silence? He hoped that watching Anna and Madison together like this would not be a thing of the past when EJ found out the truth. It would kill Anna not to be allowed near Madison or EJ, but Tony knew how deep a sense of betrayal could run within their family and once again he inwardly cursed Stefano for causing such chaos and havoc in all of their lives.

Anna looked up at Tony seeing the concern on his face and reached out her free hand to him, beckoning him to join her on the couch. He grasped her hand and settled in beside his wife.

"I know you are worried," Anna said softly as she turned her attention to her husband.

"With very good reason, Anna this is going to be life altering news for EJ, it isn't just some simple misunderstanding. We have knowingly kept this information from our son!" Tony's voice stressed the word son and he felt his heart constrict. He wouldn't be able to bear having EJ turn from them. H e was sure EJ would, the web of lies Stefano had constructed years ago ripping he and Anna apart had built exponentially.

"Tony, we just have to let EJ know we love him, we always have and we were only doing what we thought was best in not sharing the news with him when we found out," Anna said hoping that EJ would understand, but it had been almost five years since Tony and she had found out how Stefano had lied to them both, making them believe that their child had died while he had taken complete possession of their son, raising him as his own. Stefano was such a wicked man; Anna would never forgive him for taking their opportunity to raise their son away from them along with keeping them apart for so long.

"Do you really think EJ is going to welcome this news with open arms?" Tony questioned Anna. "Maybe if I had listened to you when we had found out the truth, but now…"

"Tony, you were only trying to protect EJ and me," Anna caressed his face lovingly. "I know you were afraid that Stefano would do something to us, drive us apart once more, but he can't separate us ever again. Our love is too strong, we've overcome all the things Stefano threw at us and now we are united in a way he can never break, no matter what he tries to do to us."

"Stefano still has many tricks up his sleeve and he will be livid when he realizes that we have told EJ the truth," Tony said with a heavy heart, while he wanted to share in Anna's enthusiasm and hope for the future of their family, he knew how dark and twisted Stefano's heart was and he feared the repercussions of his father's wrath for them all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"EJ we need to go back to the party," Sami said after EJ had brought her back into the warmth of his office, the afterglow of their latest tryst still vivid in her mind. The things this man could bring out in her were amazing, something she hadn't quite anticipated, and their passion seeming to grow with each new encounter they shared. EJ definitely gave a new meaning to making love, she was sure he would keep her guessing constantly what he would come up with next for them. Then she smiled because she had a few scenarios for them to try out too when the time was right.

"I know, but you are such a temptress that I can't seem to keep my hands off you," EJ kissed the top of her head as he gathered up their discarded clothes and they managed to get dressed in the darkness of his office.

"Or I you," Sami noted as she shimmied back into her dress, thinking this idea of EJ's to go without underwear to the party was a very good plan indeed.

"So I'm a temptress too?" EJ asked with mirth in his voice.

"Temptress no, Tempter yes," Sami reached out to button up his shirt even though she wished she was taking his shirt off again instead of helping him get dressed.

"I like you dressing me," EJ smiled as Sami managed to button his shirt back up neatly, then pressing her hands down the front of it as she felt the muscles ripple under her touch even through the material of the shirt, "but I have to admit the undressing is even better."

"I'll keep that in mind," Sami stood on her tiptoes to press a quick kiss upon his lips before they left his office and returned to the party which was going on in full swing, their absence apparently not noted by many, although there was one person who eyed them returning to the party with a look of complete malice.

Nicole thought to herself as she saw EJ hold Sami's hand as they made their way back into the main room of the party she was going to make sure that Sami wasn't going to have her happily ever after with EJ. She wanted him for herself and after meeting him tonight despite Sami ruining it for her she would find a way to get him away from her. There had never been a man she hadn't managed to wrangle away from her nemesis and this time would be no exception. Nicole wanted EJ and she would get him, no matter what she had to do…


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 20****  
****  
**This Christmas party was his favorite by far, EJ thought to himself as he continue to introduce Samantha to his many employees, some already knowing her, although there were quite a few who had never had the opportunity to meet this woman who was enchanting them all with her warm smile and her flashing vivid blue eyes which seemed to gleam even brighter as the night went on.

He loved having her by his side; she was the perfect complement to him, seeming to know exactly when to interject something into the conversation or when to politely demur from saying anything. He thought proudly she would make a hell of a corporate wife, someone who would help him entertain new clients or cajole an unhappy client of his company.

He wished they were married already, he had wanted her to be a part of his life for such a long time now and when it seemed like it was actually going to be a very real possibility he felt his impatience growing. He knew he was getting ahead of himself, he should be thankful that she was there with him now, and it was heaven sent to have her in his home, hoping they would make it their home along with Madison. Just the thoughts of having his daughter to be able to live with him full time was incredible in itself, but to also have the love of his life there sharing her life with him just made things even better.

The only thing marring his picture of the perfect life with Samantha and Madison was Madison's illness. He would give anything, anything at all for his precious daughter to be well and fully whole again. Maybe Samantha and he would get a miracle to help Madison, god knew he didn't deserve it, but Madison did and he had to believe that something would work out for her.

"EJ, are you okay?" Sami asked breaking him out of his current train of thought.

EJ shook his head, "Sorry darling, my mind seemed to wander for a few minutes."

"Good thing the crowd seems to be clearing then, you totally missed some of your employees telling you goodnight."

EJ leaned down to pull her close to him, "I guess they could see how completely captivated I am by your beauty, why it is a wonder I can even form coherent sentences when you are around me."

"My grandfather would say you were full of blarney," Sami said with an impish smile gracing her face.

"I think your grandfather would try to convince you to steer clear of me," EJ said taking her by the hand and leading her to the door after bidding a few more of his friends good evening along the way. He was tired and more than anything he wanted to take Samantha home so that they could crawl into bed with one another. It was such a new yet comforting thought for him to be sharing a bedroom with one another. He was going to relish this newfound intimacy with her each and every day.

"My grandparents just can't see how good you are for me, they know you are wonderful with Madison, we just have to give them time and they will come around," Sami said hopefully even though she knew that both Shawn Sr. and Caroline were vehemently opposed to her having any more dealings than was necessary with what they called those damned DiMera's. Their intense hatred and long standing feud with Stefano still running strong between them all, and Sami dreaded seeing Stefano again too, especially after EJ had told her his father was returning from Italy back to Salem before the new year would occur.

"The day your grandparents come around as you put it will shock the hell out of me," EJ stated as he lead her out to the parking garage and then helped her get into his car.

"EJ, maybe if we go see them, explain to them the reason I'm going to divorce Lucas is because I love you and I'm tired of having to live a lie to try and please my family, they might understand," Sami said reaching out to EJ and touching his hand after he had also entered the car.

"Samantha, they are going to blame me for your decision to leave Lucas," EJ said shaking his head the more he thought about it. "They equate me with all things evil. The DiMera's are not to be trusted," he said with a lilt of an Irish brogue in his speech making Sami start to laugh with his dead on impression of her grandfather's voice.

"Maddie has your gift of impersonating other people's voices too," Sami said with a light laugh, thinking of how upset her grandfather would be to hear EJ Wells DiMera speaking with a tongue that could rival most of his very own kin in Ireland.

"Which will be something we have to monitor as she grows older, I can imagine her imitating her teacher's at school among other things," EJ said knowing their daughter was sure to give them quite a run for their money during her teenage years that is if she was lucky enough to live to be a teenager. He could tell Samantha was thinking the exact same thing when he saw her face, "Hey Madison is going to make it to be a teenager and we will enjoy trying to keep up with all her antics."

"I hope so EJ, I'll be lost without her," Sami's voice trailed off as she looked out the window of the car, thinking what a bad mother she was for forgetting her problems tonight, but it had been so wonderful just to be with EJ that for some moments she hadn't been burdened with the overwhelming helplessness she felt most times concerning Madison's illness had overshadowed her life this past month. Now it felt like she could barely remember what it was like before Madison had become ill.

EJ touched the side of her face, bringing her back to face him before he started to car so that they could return home, "Usually it is you, trying to convince me that everything is going to be all right, darling we are going to get through all this and no one is ever going to be able to keep us apart."

"I want to believe that EJ," Sami said leaning in to him.

"I do too darling, I do too," EJ kissed her forehead lightly, holding her close to him as the car would allow without shifting her over into the seat with him and they sat there alone in the dark, both hoping that the future was going to be brighter for them all in the upcoming year.

**Chapter 21**

The hour was very late when EJ and Sami returned home from the Mythic Christmas party. Both were surprised to see Madison asleep on the couch, her head resting in Anna's lap, who was also asleep with her arms gently resting on Madison's frail body. Tony was the only one still awake as he sat beside his wife cradling her sleeping form against his while he looked lovingly over both of them.

Sami's eyes alit with wonderment over the decorated Christmas tree, as did EJ's when they entered the living room. Tony greeted them with a tired smile and nudged Anna slightly to awaken her. Anna stirred slightly mumbling something that was not quite coherent while Tony whispered something softly into her ear, causing her to shake her head and her mumbling immediately stopped.

"Anna, Tony we thank you so much for staying with Madison tonight," EJ began as Sami walked over to the Christmas tree to look at it more closely.

Sami turned back to look at them, tears glistening in her eyes, "You are both so wonderful to Madison and now seeing a Christmas tree decorated for us too, I just don't know how to thank you for all the wonderful things you do for us."

Tony carefully moved so as not to awaken Madison as he extricated himself from beside Anna as he got up from the sofa making his way over to EJ and Sami, "Madison wanted to surprise you both so this is a present from her, Anna and I just helped her vision along a bit."

EJ gave Tony a huge smile as he reached out to hug him, "You are certainly the best brother anyone could ever hope to have, and while there are many downfalls to being a DiMera at least I know I can count on my siblings even if I can't say the same for Father."

Tony felt like such a fraud hearing EJ voice his feelings and he couldn't bear to look back to Anna especially since they had all agreed not to say anything to EJ until after the holidays. He wanted to tell him, but once again it just wasn't the right time.

Sami caught a glimpse of the discomfort that shadowed Tony's face, but when his eyes met hers he quickly changed his countenance to one of smiling as he reciprocated EJ's hug and then they moved away from one another.

"Anna darling, it is getting late and we should be going," Tony suggested hoping that Anna would not reveal anything to EJ before they could find the correct time to do so.

"I'm sorry we were late arriving home, there were so many people to see at the Christmas party," EJ began and Tony held up his hand in protest.

"I am glad you and Samantha enjoyed yourselves, you both needed a night out," Tony said as Anna gently moved out from under Madison's head, placing a pillow under her head while she moved alongside her husband.

"Thank you," Sami impulsively reached out to pull Anna into a hug, feeling a kinship with her that she had never expected to feel with any of the DiMera's, but now with this newfound growing relationship with EJ starting to bloom she was seeing things quite differently and the dreaded DiMera's did not seem as foreboding or distant with their feelings as they had once seemed to her.

"You don't have to thank us, we're family and that includes you too," Anna said before they finished hugging one another.

"I'm honored you want to include me," Sami admitted with a smile realizing that she truly meant every word she was saying to them.

"Would you both be able to join us to celebrate Christmas?" EJ asked hoping he wasn't overstepping his bounds without asking Samantha about it first, but it just seemed right to have Tony and Anna being with them on Christmas.

"We don't want to intrude," Tony began as Anna shot him a look.

"We would be delighted," Anna said with a huge smile upon her face, relishing the thought that this Christmas she would be able to celebrate it with her son and granddaughter, it would be such a wonderful holiday for her especially since she would be unable to see Carrie and Austin this Christmas because they had decided to go skiing instead.

"Great," EJ smiled as he led them to the door all the while whispering to them, "don't worry, I won't let Samantha cook."

"I heard that EJ," Sami called out causing them all to laugh.

"Guess I'm going to have to learn to speak more softly," EJ said a smile upon his face that Tony and Anna rarely saw beyond his spending time with his daughter Madison.

"I can see you still have plenty to learn about women," Tony joked receiving a nudge from Anna in the vicinity of his ribcage area.

"You do too Casanova," Anna informed Tony before she tiptoed up to kiss EJ goodnight. "We'll see you on Christmas."

"I'm looking forward to it," EJ said bidding them both good evening at the door.

~~~~~~~~~~

As Anna and Tony walked to the car, she was all smiles until she heard Tony quietly admonish, "Anna, please don't get your hopes up."

She chose to ignore that comment; Tony didn't know everything she thought to herself as she slid into the passenger side of their Mercedes Benz waiting until her husband was also in the car before saying a word to him.

"How can I not get my hopes up? We're spending Christmas with our son, our granddaughter and hopefully EJ's soon to be wife. This is going to be perfect, just wait and see," Anna declared with her usual flair for the dramatic.

Tony sighed thinking things wouldn't be as rosy as his wife thought, but chose not to say anything else to her, he was worried enough as it was and now he had to contend with the very real possibility that after EJ found out how long they had been deceiving about his true parentage neither one of them might ever be welcomed in their son's life again.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"How about I tuck this angel into bed and then I do the same for you?" EJ whispered into Sami's ear after he reentered the room from saying goodbye to Tony and Anna.

"That sounds absolutely wonderful," Sami smiled as she felt EJ start to kiss her neck while he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Good, I'll be right back," EJ informed her as he removed his hands from around her going over to carefully pick up Madison so as not to wake her up while he took her to her bedroom.

Sami looked at EJ as he exited the room and her heart filled with joy, he was such a wonderful father to Madison and now that she was also on the receiving end of his love it was something she vowed never to take for granted of ever again in her life. She returned her attention to the Christmas tree, the lights twinkling softly in the room, their tiny prisms of color now the only light in the room after EJ had come back into the room from delivering their sleeping child to her bed and subsequently turning off the overhead light.

"Now can I interest you in adjoining me in our bedroom?" He asked his voice low and sensual causing Sami's eyes to light up with mischief.

"Maybe in a little while," she answered with a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders.

"A little while?" EJ asked feeling a bit confused over her reaction since he had been dying to get her back to their bedroom for quite some time tonight despite all the lovely things they had done with one another at the Christmas party.

Sami turned to face him as she smiled wickedly, "Well I thought I might have my way with this charming British guy under the Christmas tree."

"A charming bloke eh, is that all?"

"He is rather sexy too now that I think about it," Sami added as she reached out to EJ lightly caressing his face.

"Sexy is definitely a good thing to know," EJ kissed her fingertips as Sami pulled him down to the floor beside him.

"I'll try to think of some more adjectives," Sami teased, "That is if he can stuff my stocking correctly."

"Oh I believe he might be able to," EJ bragged as they started to laugh with one another and they began to make love under the lights of the Christmas tree.

**Chapter 22**

Sami sighed in contentment as she rested against EJ's chest while he slept. She knew they should relocate to the bedroom, the romantic twinkling of the Christmas lights along with the amazing night they had shared with one another kept her from waking him up just yet. She closed her eyes and smiled as she felt him stir slightly causing her form to adjust into his and it felt like this was where she should have been all along sharing her life with this incredible man, one who made her feel safe and loved and for the first time in such a very long time alive.

No longer was she just going through the motions, playing a part of being a dutiful wife to Lucas, for once despite all the incredible anguish they had endured since learning of Madison's illness she was really and truly living. She only wished it hadn't taken such a drastic catastrophe for her and EJ to finally find their way to one another again.

She had so many things to take care of, but for once she was being taken care of too in return and it was a nice feeling. She almost drifted off to sleep herself until she heard him whisper her name.

"Samantha, while I am all for ravishing your sumptuous body by the Christmas tree, I really think we better go to the bedroom because I know with a certainty I am not ready to explain the birds and the bees to our darling Madison."

"I think I'll be stuck with that duty when the time comes," Sami sat up draping her dress to her bosom to cover herself.

"Most definitely," EJ agreed managing to garner a playful swat from Sami in the process. "What? I firmly believe you can tell our daughter all about this…" EJ waved his hands in the air around them after he had sat up beside her.

"Oh my god, you can't even say it," Sami eyed him with disbelief.

"Sweetheart would you like for me to tell our spitfire of a daughter how every time I see you I just want to," he leaned in closer so that he could whisper in her ear a myriad of things that he would like to do to her that made Sami blush bright red even in the dim light of the room.

"Okay, you are right I'll be the one to give Madison the talk," Sami said in between trying to keep from laughing out loud which would surely wake their sleeping princess if they kept this type of conversation up for much longer.

"Just be sure to let her know that no boy is ever going to be good enough for her," EJ stated as he stood up and pulled Sami up with him.

"I feel for whoever will try to date Madison when she is a teenager," Sami said as she took EJ by the hand.

"Teenager, now Samantha Madison won't be able to date until she is at least twenty," EJ said with all seriousness.

Sami laughed, "Good luck with that one, knowing Madison she'll be sneaking out and causing all kinds of havoc in this household when she is a teenager."

"Sounds like you are speaking from experience," EJ remarked as he deftly steered Sami in the direction of their bedroom.

"We are not even going to get into the saga of my teenage years tonight," Sami said firmly giving EJ what she hoped was passing for a stern look although she was about to start giggling as she imagined the shock upon his face when she finally got around to revealing things from her stormy past that he didn't know. Then again she guessed he would have a few things to tell her that might do the same to her too.

When they got to the bedroom Sami dropped her dress and EJ locked the door giving her a smile that would have made her throw her clothes off if she weren't already stark naked.

"What?" Sami asked tempted to reach for her dress she had dropped on the bedroom floor when EJ kept smiling even though he did not make a move towards her.

"I love having you here with me Samantha," EJ said with a seriousness that he hadn't had in his voice a few moments earlier.

"I love being here too," Sami said nodding her head in agreement before sitting down on the bed. "So come on over here with me, let's go to bed."

"Just a moment," EJ said turning away from her to go to his closet. The sounds of him pilfering in the contents of the huge closet emitting throughout the room mingled with an occasional curse word from him as he looked for something.

"EJ, I'm about to fall asleep and I really want to fall asleep in your arms," Sami said petulantly wondering what in the world EJ was looking for in his closet because she sure as heck did not want him to be putting on any clothes.

"I found it," EJ said triumphantly returning to playfully jump on the bed beside Sami.

"What is it?" Sami asked as she eyed him curiously.

"This," EJ said handing Sami blue velvet box reminding her of an eager schoolboy with a surprise he couldn't wait to reveal.

"EJ, you already have given me so much tonight, the dress, the jewelry," Sami started to shake her head, but EJ wouldn't take the box back from her. "I don't need gifts from you, I just need you."

"I've had this to give to you for a very long time Samantha, but the timing was never right," EJ said with a hint of regret in his voice. "Please I want you to have this because it symbolizes something you've unknowingly had from me ever since the first time I laid eyes on you all those years ago."

"It's not even Christmas yet EJ and here you are giving me another gift," Sami tried to argue, but he refused to take the box back from her no matter how hard she tried to give it back to him.

"Well officially it's Christmas Eve if you look at the clock so just open it and then see if you want to give it back to me or not," EJ placed a kiss on her forehead before moving back enough to give her room to open the box.

Sami stared at the box, she had never received anything from Tiffany's before, yet she knew the distinct detailing on the box. She had always dreamed of going to the Tiffany's in New York, but she knew she could never afford anything from the famous jewelry store.

"If you keep waiting to open the box, it will be Christmas," EJ goaded her; anxious to see the reaction on her face when she saw what was inside.

Her hands shaking Sami opened the box and gasped, inside was a beautiful heart shaped key necklace with diamonds all along the heart. "Oh EJ it's beautiful. This is for me?"

"You've held the key to my heart from the start. I mean I guess it is corny, I bought it such a long time ago and then things fell apart for us and each time I wanted to garner up the courage to give it to you, something or someone got in the way and…"

"I love you EJ DiMera," Sami started to cry as she looked down at the simple key, her fingers touching the pendant before looking back up into his eyes, those beautiful eyes of his that somehow saw through all her crap and still managed to love her despite all of her flaws.

"I love you too Samantha Brady," EJ said brushing away her tears. "Darling I didn't give it to you to make you cry, I just wanted you to know that no matter what happens you hold my heart, no one else will ever take your place because you are the only woman I will ever love. I don't ever want to be without you again."

"You won't be, I promise," Sami vowed as she pulled up her hair, "Will you put it on me? I want to wear it always. I don't ever want to be without you again either."

"So you don't think I'm some romantic fool?" he questioned as he gingerly opened the clasp and secured it around her neck.

"You're my romantic fool and don't you ever forget it," Sami said as she felt the necklace slip down to nestle in between the valley of her breasts.

"I won't," EJ smiled thinking that the necklace looked much better on her than it had in the box.

"Thank you," Sami said quietly as she reached out to him and for the first time in her life she felt confident in the love she had so desperately dreamed about finding when she was a young girl. Her dark prince had brought a love and light into her life that she had never imagined was possible.

**Chapter 23**

EJ awoke before Samantha; it took him a moment to realize this vision of loveliness indeed was sleeping soundly beside him in what he was quickly starting to consider as their bed instead of his alone. In his wildest dreams he would not have ever imagined a few short months ago that on this particular Christmas Eve he would have Samantha in his life especially in this capacity. He had been sure he would have been spending another holiday by himself with the exception of the few brief hours he would have been allowed to spend with his daughter Madison.

He looked down and smiled at her sleeping form, this newfound joy taking root in his heart was such a strange and foreign emotion. Most of his life he had been by himself depending upon no one. While there had been many a nanny that had tried to make him see his worth after his father had cruelly taken him from his mother, he had always struggled unsuccessfully to find his place in the world. He had been in fear and awe of his father Stefano from the time of his earliest recollections.

A frown formed on his countenance because his father would not be pleased with the knowledge that EJ intended to marry Samantha as soon as she was free from the bonds of her marriage to Lucas. He wasn't looking forward to hearing his father's recriminations which he had no doubt would be forthcoming.

DiMera's and Brady's would never find happiness together ever. It was a mantra his father had repeatedly told him time and time again in his many blustering tirades on the ways of the world. When EJ had finally admitted the truth to his father that he had fell in love with Samantha it hadn't been a happy time for him. His father had mocked him of succumbing to the foolish error of falling in love with a Brady especially when Samantha had gone ahead and married Lucas even though she was pregnant with EJ's child.

That in his father's wicked plan to bring down the Brady's once and for all by gaining one of their owns trust in the form of his son becoming friends with what Stefano had considered the perfect Brady to turn against her family in Sami had backfired terribly. His son was not supposed to have fallen in love with the enemy he had been sent on a mission to tear their family apart, not make it stronger.

EJ looked at the woman sleeping in his bed, and dreaded what he knew was sure to be his father's wrath when he found out the woman he had claimed had destroyed his son was going to be in his life from now on. Stefano loved Madison, claiming she was more DiMera than Brady, but he wouldn't be happy about this latest development at all.

EJ lay back and sighed wishing his father would not return to Salem, he and Samantha had enough obstacles to overcome without his father's interference and god only knew what Stefano would do when he realized that Samantha was already living with his son. Maybe they would get lucky and Stefano's flight would get cancelled. EJ did not want anything spoiling what would be the first Christmas he and Samantha shared together with their daughter Madison.

Sami stirred slightly and murmured something in her sleep, a smile on her face. She really was angelic especially when she was sleeping. Seeing her smile and feeling her move in her sleep to get closer to him made EJ smile too. He would go through whatever hells his father had planned and it wouldn't matter because he loved this woman and he was not going to let him come between them no matter what he tried to pull.

"I love you Samantha," EJ said quietly as he pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her slumbering form. One thing was for certain he could endure anything as long as he had her with him.

***************

A few hours later EJ was enjoying spending the day at home. Madison was having a very good day especially when a group of Christmas carolers came by the house singing a variety of Christmas songs. Evidentially Miss Chloe had hoped to find EJ alone when she had suggested to the group to go on and that she would catch up with them in a little while. Madison gave her music teacher a big hug and informed her that her mother would be sad that she had missed hearing their beautiful singing.

Chloe had smiled and said well maybe she would see her mother at her house when Madison had proudly proclaimed that she and Sami now lived here with her daddy and not Lucas. Chloe's smile quickly diminished as EJ nodded and said yes, he was so happy that his favorite two girls were indeed living with him now that Madison had been released from the hospital. Her disposition grew even worse when Sami walked in the door, her hands full of packages that had made Madison squeal with delight as soon as she saw her mother walk in the door.

Sami did not even notice Chloe until after she had unloaded her bounty of brightly wrapped gifts. When she did, she was about to make a comment when EJ quickly interjected how lovely it had been for Miss Chloe to stop by to check on Madison and that they should both thank her for thinking of their child during this special holiday season.

Sami smiled sourly and gave Chloe a terse Merry Christmas while EJ ushered her out the door bidding her a happy holiday hopefully like the one he would be spending with his family. When the door was shut behind the bewildered Chloe EJ was ready to laugh until he saw Sami's face, he could only imagine what she wanted to say, but she didn't want to say it in front of Madison whom no doubt would recite verbatim any comment her mother had about her music teacher at would probably wind up in a most inappropriate time.

Madison announced she was going to the window to wave goodbye to her music teacher and quickly scampered off.

Before Sami could say a word EJ came besides her whispering in her ear, "At least she wasn't trying to show off her hooties in front of god and everyone else this morning, eh?"

Sami turned and gave EJ a look that would scorch the newly fallen snow on the ground, "You know why she came by don't you? She wanted to…"

"Do what darling?" EJ asked in jest, knowing that he would never be interested in the likes of Chloe Lane Black.

"Do you like tormenting me? Do you?" Sami shot back to him with her finger pointing at his chest.

"I have no clue as to what you are referring to," EJ said as angelically as he could before a devious smile broke out on his face.

"You want me to be jealous, don't you?" Sami was ready to stomp off, hating that her jealous streak came out when she thought other women were interested in whom she now considered her man.

EJ caught her by the hand, refusing to let her go out of the room. Instead he reached his free hand into his pocket and produced a sprig of mistletoe, promptly holding it over Sami's head. "Sweetheart you have no need for jealously, if you haven't noticed I only have eyes for you, no one else."

Sami was ready to argue the point when he leaned down and gave her a kiss, silencing any points of contention she may have come up with as she sighed with contentment as soon as his lips touched hers, making her glad that he had mistletoe with him because there was definitely some other places that needed sprigs of the plant in the house.

**Chapter 24**

"So you only have eyes for me?" Sami asked as she looked to EJ after they broke their kiss before it turned into something more amorous, both knowing Madison would return from waving goodbye to Miss Chloe.

"Only you darling, only you," EJ reaffirmed with one more kiss, this one just a tiny peck on the cheek, but a sweet kiss none the less.

"That's good to know," Sami stated as she made her way to the kitchen table where she had dropped her load of Christmas packages she had purchased in a mad dash for last minute Christmas shopping.

EJ picked up a brightly colored package and shook it, testing to see if it made any noise, when Sami reached up on her tiptoes to retrieve it from him. "Samantha, now what fun is it if you don't even let me see if any of these boxes can make a racket?"

Sami deftly took the package away from EJ shaking her head, "That one is not for you."

"Who is it for?" he asked, clearly intrigued by the size of the box along with the wrapping, not the mention that it did indeed make noise when he had shaken it.

"For Will," Sami replied glumly as she looked away sadly before adding, "that is if he will even accept it from me."

EJ reached with his fingertips under Sami's jaw, gently lifting her face back to him, "Samantha, while I know William isn't my biggest fan, I don't think he will skip out on spending time with you and Madison on Christmas."

"You did see his reaction when he saw I was wearing one of your shirts when he came to the door, didn't you?"

"Of course I did, and I know that us being together might be difficult for him to accept, I do believe if we give him time and let him see how happy we are together, he could possibly warm up to the idea of us as a couple." EJ said hopefully, wanting Will to be a part of their lives because he knew that most of Samantha's family was going to give her a hard enough time without having Will against them too.

"EJ you need to get a reality check, Will is not happy that I am here with you. I mean he isn't a little kid, he knows we are…"

"Trying to see what could happen if we are open and honest with each other?"

"You know I wasn't going to say that," Sami began only to have EJ give her a doubtful look.

"Samantha, we are mature adults…"

"Some of the time," Sami countered back.

EJ nodded, "Okay, I can agree with that point. I never would have thought that I would be fortunate enough to have you in my life."

"EJ, I don't mean it like that, it's just that Will knows we are, you know…"

"Know what?" EJ asked as Sami started to blush and then he nodded his head, "Oh you mean that? Samantha, I think you need to give Will more credit than what you are giving him. I believe he knows that we aren't acting like sex starved teenagers."

Sami gave him a skeptical look and rolled her eyes at EJ.

"Well maybe a little bit sex starved, but sweetheart I have been without you for far too long," EJ gave her a look with his eyes and a smile that she would be hard pressed to resist. "I don't want to waste another day or night away from you. Why don't you go talk to him without me being around and his reaction may surprise you. You deserve to have a life too, we both do."

"I do want him to be with us for Christmas," Sami said whole heartedly.

"Then go right now before it gets any later, because I have plans for you later," EJ said pulling her into his arms and placing a kiss upon her head.

"I like the sound of that," Sami smiled enjoying being surrounded by EJ and feeling his love for her.

"If Will isn't comfortable coming here because of me, then we'll figure something else out," EJ said with a sigh.

"I just wish he could see how happy you make me," Sami said holding onto EJ tighter, drawing strength from him before she went to see her son.

"Tell him that and ask what it would take for him to give me a chance," EJ replied releasing his hold on her. "I want Will to be a part of our family, I mean he is a part whether he realizes it or not. Madison needs him, you need him and I would love getting a chance to show him that I'm not this terrible person he has been led to believe that I am just because my last name happens to be DiMera."

"Wish me luck," Sami reached for her coat and pocketbook.

"Always," EJ leaned over to give her one more kiss before she headed out the door to convince her son how much they all wanted him to be with them at Christmas.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 25**

Will heard his cell phone ringing and reached into his coat pocket to see who was calling. When he realized it was his mother calling he almost didn't pick up the call, thinking it might be best to let whatever his mother needed to tell him go to voicemail. He then worried it might be something urgent about Madison so he answered his phone.

"Hello," he spoke, hoping against hope this call wasn't a preclude to something disastrous in his life, being the son of Sami Brady tended to make you keep your guard up almost constantly because you never knew when chaos might erupt next.

"Will, can you meet me somewhere?" Sami's voice came over the line not sounding like it was urgent which made Will's nerves settle somewhat. He didn't want anything bad to happen to his baby sister.

"I guess," he replied uncertainly. He really didn't know what to think after he had went over to EJ's house to deliver the divorce papers to his mom. "You don't want to come to the house?"

"I'm not sure that would be a good idea," Sami began, she didn't want to have to deal with Lucas at the moment, she just wanted to speak to her son in private so that they could speak openly without anyone interfering in their conversation.

"Dad's not here," Will informed her, instinctively knowing how his mother wouldn't want to have a confrontation with Lucas, she was pretty easy for him to read most times since he had learned to anticipate her multiple moods.

"If you are sure he isn't going to be around," Sami hedged, knowing she didn't have the strength to deal with Lucas while trying to explain to her son about the situation with her and EJ.

"He left early this morning to go work on one of his spec houses in the new subdivision, so I'm guessing he won't be back until late tonight," Will knew from experience it didn't matter if it was a holiday or not when his father was working on a house it took all of his attention until he was satisfied about the quality of work done on each project.

"It's Christmas Eve," Sami stated and then realized it wouldn't matter what day it was if Lucas thought he needed to work on a house, he was there giving it his all, his family coming in at a distant second in his priorities. Then she felt ashamed thinking she shouldn't be making a list of Lucas' shortcomings. He had been a good provider for his family even though Sami had longed for him to spend more time with the family he strived to work so hard to make a decent living for them.

"I'll see you over here Mom," Will settled the matter, thinking if they needed to talk, he wanted to be able to tell her the complete truth about his life and with this unexpected revelation for his mother to digest his news they would need complete privacy. He could only imagine him trying to tell his mother about his love life at the Brady Pub. No, he didn't want to upset his great grandparents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and the vast multitude of cousins at this particular point in time. He had too much else to deal with without this news circulating around the Brady family table.

"All right, I'll be over there soon," Sami snapped her cell phone shut and started her Tahoe to take the familiar drive to what used to be her home.

Will waited anxiously for his mother to arrive; he knew it was past time for him to come clean with her about his life especially if she was going to be forthcoming with him about what was going on with her and EJ. He knew it the moment he had saw her that she had slept with EJ. The guilty look upon her face told him what her words had not.

After what seemed like hours for Will, but in actuality only about fifteen minutes he heard the familiar sound of his mother's vehicle pulling into the driveway and momentarily it saddened him to realize that from now on his mother was not going to be living here anymore.

He opened the door for her before she had to knock; he didn't want to have the memory of his mother asking him for entrance into what had been their family home for the past five years.

"Hi Mom," Will pulled her into a tight hug as soon as she walked across the threshold into the foyer.

Sami smiled against his shoulder, hoping that this gesture meant Will was not upset with her like she had thought he had been since he had found her in such disarray at EJ's house.

"Hi Will," Sami returned his hug and hated to let go of him, her son, she loved him so much and hated knowing there had been too many times she had let him down. She and Lucas had made mistake after mistake with their son, pulling him into their tug of war during their teens and early twenties. It was a wonder Will had turned out to be such a fine outstanding young man considering all the confusion he had went through trying to have a stable family life.

Reluctantly she released her hold on him, not wanting him to become uncomfortable with her display of affection for him. They gravitated toward the living room and both took seats on the couch facing one another. For a few moments neither spoke until Sami finally broke their silence.

"I guess you know why I am here," she began quietly, her nerves a jumbled mess as she tried to gauge how her son was going to take the news of her newfound relationship with EJ DiMera.

"Mom, before you start trying to apologize to me, I just want to say that it's ok, I am pretty sure I know what is going on with you and EJ."

"You do?" Sami asked wondering if it showed on her face that she and EJ had took their relationship to a very new phase, one that was progressing quickly since Madison's illness had come to light.

"In case you haven't realized I pretty much know how these things go," Will stated matter of fact. "I mean it would take a complete idiot not to realize that you and EJ are in love with one another."

"And you're no idiot," Sami brushed back the lock of hair that always seemed to fall over his eyes so that she could look at him more fully.

"No," Will shook his head, wondering exactly when he had known his mother and father had fallen out of love with one another. If he was being truthful, he knew it had been a while, but he had stubbornly held onto to hope that his family was going to stay together.

"I don't want to hurt you," Sami took his hand in hers, marveling over how much her son had grown up. His hands were no longer those of a child, but of an almost grown man. "I never wanted to hurt Lucas either. I just don't think we are compatible with one another anymore. For years I've run away from my real feelings of being in love with EJ. I tried to do what I thought was best for everyone and in the end I hurt my family, EJ and myself when I should have been honest right from the start."

"I know Mom and realize this decision has been difficult for you to make, but you need to be happy too. Maybe all this time I had been wishing for you and Dad to make one another happy, when you both would have been better off not being married to one another."

"They say hindsight is twenty-twenty, and I am glad we do have some good family memories."

"A lot of bad ones too," Will added quickly and then stopped himself, there was no need to place blame on either one of his parents, it was past time that he realized they were both human with good traits and faults like anyone else, mainly just like him.

"I'm sorry Mom; I didn't mean to say that..."

"You're right though, I've made a mess of things my entire life and I've messed up your life in the process too."

"No, you haven't, if anything is messed up in my life it is of my own choosing, not yours," Will began as Sami's brown creased not understanding where he was coming from with this line of conversation.

"What are you talking about Will? You are always the good kid, the one who manages to shine despite how inadequately your parents handle things."

Will laughed a humorless laugh, "If you only knew Mom."

"You are starting to worry me Will. You make me so proud; I don't know what I did to deserve such great kids."

"I'm not a great kid," Will stated firmly.

"Yes, you are," Sami argued with him, wishing he could see how wonderful he was because as a son she had really lucked out considering all the crap Will had endured growing up between she and Lucas' many, many endless fights. "I want you to be happy and one day when you find that certain someone you are going to know what it feels like to be head over heels in love."

"Mom, just stop," Will held up his hands as if that could prevent his mother from speaking further.

"Why?"

"I am in love," Will said softly looking away from his mother's eyes.

"Oh Will, I've been so wrapped up in everything that has been going on with Madison that I haven't even had time for us to really talk. Is she someone from school or someone in Salem? Tell me all about her."

Will shook his head, and took a deep breath, realizing this was harder than he anticipated, he knew she was going to be disappointed in him, god only knew what everyone was going to think but he was so damned tired of living a lie.

"Will what is it? I mean it can't be worse than me telling you I am in love with a DiMera. At least grandma and grandpa aren't going to disown you from the family like I am afraid they are going to do with me. Really you know the entire family is going to flip out when I tell them I am going to marry EJ as soon as my divorce from Lucas is legalized."

"You may not end up being the only one disowned," Will looked back at his mother and sighed.

Sami started to chuckle, nothing would be more traitorous to the Brady's than the marriage uniting one of them with a DiMera. "Come on Will, nothing you can tell me will beat that a Brady is going to marry a DiMera."

"Mom, it's not a girl…"

"Will is she older than you? I mean I know some women go all cougar, but…"

"No, she is not older, god you are making this so hard."

"Just tell me, is she pregnant, did you get some girl pregnant?"

"Dear god no," Will shook his head again, wishing this was somehow easier, than again when were things ever easy in this crazy mixed up family?

"Mom, before you spout off any more ridiculous conclusions, just be quiet for two seconds and let me tell you."

"I do not jump to conclusions," Sami began only to have Will raise his eyebrow at her. "Okay, I'll be quiet, just please tell me what you think is so bad that the entire pack of Brady's are going to have a hissy fit with your news."

"Mom, it's not a girl, it's a guy."

"What?"

"Mom, I've known for some time and I've tried to fight it, but I just can't do it anymore. I'm gay, so yes my news will trump your news with the family. Sorry, guess you aren't going to get all the limelight this time at our next family gathering."

"Will are you just saying this to make me feel better? I mean I'm used to being an outcast within the Brady clan, these past few years have only been an exception to the rule."

"No Mom, I am really gay, Arthur and I are a couple, and we just haven't made that fact known here in the big town of Salem yet."

Sami sat still dumbfounded by the news, surely Will was joking, trying to make light of what was going to be a tough situation, and then she looked into his eyes and realized her son wasn't joking.

"Okay, well all right then…"

"Mom, do you understand what I am telling you?

"Yes Will, I understand," Sami reached out to grab his hand once more.

"Are you going to disown me now?" Will asked uncertain how his mother was going to react as the news starting settling for her.

"I will never disown you! I love you Will and if you are sure this relationship you and Arthur are having is what you truly want for your life, then I will welcome him with open arms into our family. You and Maddie are my life and all I ever want is for you both to be happy."

A tear trickled down Will's cheek, he had been worried for so long that when he told his mother the news that she would recoil from him and for her to be so accepting of his lifestyle it made him feel bad for all the times he had condemned her.

Sami reached up to wipe away the tear from Will's cheek, "Oh baby, please don't cry. I will love you always and forever. Remember like in the book I used to read to you from when you were a baby? No matter how old you are, wherever you go, my baby you will always be. Love doesn't have conditions on it, your choices are your own to make and I will always be in your corner loving you and wanting what is best for you."

"You just don't know how long I have agonized coming out and telling you the truth," Will cried in earnest now, especially after his mother's heartfelt confession. There had been so many times when he felt that he had been justified in criticizing her when he now could see that his mother had taken everything he had thrown out at her and she still loved him just the same.

"You can always tell me the truth, no matter how badly you think it might be and guess what this is good news, you are in love and despite your tears I think you are happy so I'm fine with you and Arthur being a couple."

"I don't think Dad is going to be so open minded, much less the rest of the family…"

"How about we take things one step at a time, you've told me and I accepted it so you might need to give everyone else a little credit that they can accept things better than you might think they would."

"Mom you know the Brady's judge first, and then shout and try to shove their opinions on everyone else that will listen."

"Will this is your family we are talking about and they love you."

"Your family too and we both know how much they take to situations and people outside what they consider the norm. How many times have they turned their backs on you when you did something that they didn't approve of you doing?"

"Well we will make them see and understand your situation," Sami pulled him into a hug, rubbing his back softly; wanting to comfort her son for what she knew had been such a monumental decision for him to tell her.

"It is not going to be as simple as you are saying," Will knew how the family would probably react and it wasn't going to be favorable.

"I've got a suggestion, how about you and Arthur come to celebrate Christmas with EJ, Maddie and me? We are going to have a dinner and it would mean the world for me to have you with me on Christmas," Sami began as she pulled back from him to read his face when she offered up this suggestion.

"Mom EJ doesn't want me there with you and Maddie," Will shook his head, thinking EJ was only polite to him, not that he really liked him as a person.

"Yes he does Will, he wants us to be a family," Sami stated wholeheartedly. "I know you think he only cares for Maddie and me, but he cares about you too. If you would just give him a chance I think you would see what a wonderful person he is, he has love in his heart for all of us. We've just never taken the time to see it, but it is there and believe me it is real."

"Are you sure Mom?"

"Yes, please say you will come. This can be the first step in you seeing that we can all be a family, that we have enough love for all of us."

Will was silent for a moment, he wanted to believe his mother, could it actually be possible that the man he thought was responsible for so many bad things in his mother's life could be the one who could make her whole and happy again?

"Please Will?"

He shook his head, "You don't think EJ will mind?"

"Mind having you celebrate the holidays with us? He wants you to be there, I want you there and I know for sure Maddie wants you there. This would be the best present you could possibly give me if you would open up your heart and give EJ a chance, give my relationship with EJ a chance, you may be surprised if you really and truly give it a chance."

"Okay, I'll come," Will spoke quietly, he guess this was needed if his mom could extend a welcoming gesture for his relationship with him and Arthur, the least he could do would be to try and accept EJ as a part of his mother's life too and in essence part of his life. "I love you Mom."

"I love you too Will," Sami hugged him again, thinking this was one hurdle she had overcome, if her son could come to terms with her and EJ having a relationship then anything was possible. She smiled knowing her son was going to spend the holidays with her and that was more than enough for her for now.


End file.
